Protector
by VBK-VereorBlackKing
Summary: Set in S5. Liam ponders on his life, being a werewolf, and Scott being his alpha. "When he hears Deputy Parrish saying Scott's in trouble, he runs out like he's on fire. In a certain manner, he is." UNDER REVISION.
1. Chapter 1

**Protector**

VBK

NOTE: if you see anything wrong or any typos, please tell me. Also: on current , slow and painful rewriting process.

Liam is just a sixteen years old boy.

He's still struggling to get how this new school works, what with the crazy ex girlfriend with a bubbling gum mania, or the crazy lacrosse coach that, just, why is he teaching Economics? How's that having anything in common with sports?

And, then, of course, he's still trying to figure out his biggest problem, or better, his newer biggest problem, even if actually it's not so new anymore, since he's being a werewolf for some months now.

Goddamn. To think that he used to think that the former (and current) captain of the lacrosse team Scott McCall was acting weird towards him, because he was just jealous that Liam too was good at playing lacrosse, maybe even to the point of potentially stealing McCall his title.

Liam really thought the guy was just being an ass all those times, when actually he had just tried to protect him. Yes, Scott had ruined his life by granting him superpowers, super-strength, super-speed, nocturnal-radar-like-vision, and the virtue of being targeted from hunters and crazy maniacs. But he had also saved his life, twice, or, well, actually even more times, starting from the very first night he's bitten the younger teen.

Scott had been possessed by the Berserksomething (Liam still needs to check how is that damned word. Thank god everybody's not saying it every few minutes, like six months ago), the bear warrior, and he was _so_ going to kill Liam. Liam tried to fight back, but Scott was his alpha, his friend, his guide, his protector and savior, his guardian, and, what the fuck? How many things has Scott McCall become for him?

And he had looked at Liam like he was going to tear him apart with those badass claws of his, and instead, _just_ when Liam was really going to cry, Scott had been brought back to his usual self. With the coolest move ever, he had broken in two the skull, the curse, freed himself, and saved all their asses. And Liam's pretty boy face too.

From time to time (more like, every five minutes), Liam still looks at Scott like something is going to happen. After what he's been told, plus the crazy stuff they've been through, it's impossible to wish for a period this long with nothing bad happening. Or, rather, wish as he might, Liam knows fully well that there is no chance in hell that he is going to have it. Something is _bound_ to happen. Something bad.

Stiles, or maybe Scott, or, perhaps Malia? Well, someone, probably more than just one person, recently has already pointed out that, something bad must happen, again, because that's the way things have gone, since his alpha had been bitten in the first place. It's carved in the wind and in the water, it's in their DNA, and it's the history of the pack of Beacon Hill.

Liam still looks around expecting that every little thing will reveal itself as the starter of another homicidal deadpool chain. He keeps expecting to find out that someone wants to kill him, again.

At the same time, he's kinda relaxed, and he feels safe, because he knows that his alpha is going to protect him, either knowing what he's doing, or out of dumb luck. The result is that Liam is going to get out alive because of Scott, in both cases.

Yeah. Liam is _very_ aware that he sounds like some lovestruck teenager. Girl teenager, which is even worse. But it's true. He adores the man, supports him like a pon-pon shaking cheerleader, like 'gogogo Scott, kill all the mean guys', bare hands or not. Scott is his new North in the crazy jungle Liam's world has become: he is trustworthy, reliable, the landmark that tells you where you are, where to go, and, let's not forget about that, if you're still alive.

His parents are still very important to Liam, his step-dad and his mom, but also the others of the pack. Lydia, the creepy banshee know-it-all, Stiles, ever creepier only human member of the pack, who manages to solve almost every mystery with nobody having a clue about ow he does (himself included). Malia, the werecoyote with the tact of a dead elephant, Kira, fox-kitsune and almost girlfriend of his alpha, who rocks the world with a sword.

And then there is him, Liam, sixteen years old werewolf, the youngest of the pack, and the one who gives everybody trouble at every full moon. Even if Derek taught him the mantra trick. Which actually works, even if at the beginning Liam was a _little_ skeptical. Now he uses it at every full moon night.

Liam is just a normal teenager.

He plays in the lacrosse team, he's good at it, he likes, no, he _adores_ it, and well, who can blame him, if he's using werewolf strength and speed when playing? Also, being a werewolf has helped him to cope with the anger issues that he has been wrestling with, for many years.

He has a crazy ex-girlfriend that he'd better stay away from, a gay best friend who cares for him and can share jokes with about everything, and a pack which is more than just a group of friends.

Sometime he misses Derek. He was emanating this 'I know stuff' aura that Scott lacks. But Derek lacked the 'I can protect you, and will protect you from everything, no matter what' one.

You see? Even when he tries to change the topic of his thoughts, Liam is always brought back to Scott McCall. Which is why he's starting to wonder if he is a bit attracted to him.

Maybe it's a alpha-beta thing. After all, in some kind of twisted, werewolfy way, he _does_ belong to Scott, since Scott has been the one who has made him new. He's more than a parent figure, and more akin to a creator.

And straight. 100% straight, Kira is the proof.

So, if Liam is having some issues about sexual orientation because his werewolf side is influencing his human judgment, it would be _so_ _great_ , if, at least, he knew that his alpha is experiencing the same thing. If only Scott was aware of this possibility, Liam could just tell Scott , 'hey, maybe I feel attracted to you, but I hae no clue whether it's me or my wolf', and Scott would say 'that's fine, I know what you mean, it's not you, it's a werewolf thing. Relax, you're still straight'.

It would make everything so much easier, if only Scott knew.

But he doesn't.

Actually, that's not the real problem. The thing is that Liam is not even _sure_ in the first place whether he is having this issue, or not. So he settles for not thinking about this whole 'maybe I'm into Scott' thing, and waits that something happens, so that he can figure out his next move. Hoping that he won't be forced to tel Scott himself, possibly. Ignore it, if you can, that's his motto.

From a werewolf point of view, he knows there's plenty of reasons why his wolf would play for Team Scott. Liam remembers Brett, and Brett was jealous that Liam had an alpha like Scott, a true alpha, an alpha who feels so much attachment to his pack members. He was, no, not jealous, he was envious. Brett, perfect Brett, for the first time ever, envied something Liam had, wishing having that himself, too.

Well, he doesn't need Brett to remember how lucky he is to have an alpha like Scott. Not anymore. Now, he just needs to count how many times Scott has saved his butt, and that suffices.

Of course he wishes risking their lives was not such an ordinary thing. Whe he was human, he had a tons of problems, but he didn't use to worry about staying alive. Survival was something he could have given for granted. Now he does. On the other hand, it' bing a werewolf that he has found his way in the world, and he didn't have that, when he was still normal, human, and not in need to worry about survival.

And then there is he thing that Scott said, about Derek telling him how strong Liam was, and how strong he was proving to be at controlling the wolf side, at such a young age.

Derek, _Derek_ of all people, complimented Liam. Indirectly, of course, when speaking with Scott, probably in some way to insult Scott himself, but. What do you expect from Derek? That he comes and hugs you, kisses you and showers you in compliments? Come on. Get real. That's actually Scott-like. Uh, apart from the kisses part.

Still: let's focus on the fact that Derek told his alpha that Liam is _strong_.

 _Liam_ is strong.

Is Liam aware that he is strong? Does he feels so?

Does he feels like he can keep the wolf at bay? Well, let's be honest: the mantra and the music, they both work. He has had problems controlling it, but he has never attacked anyone, since he's been using them.

Is he strong?

He's _so_ not used in being the strong one.

 _Scott_ is strong.

 _Derek_ was strong. Still is, he corrects himself: the guy's not dead.

 _Stiles_ is strong, even by just being human: he knows stuff, he finds a way out for people from the worst situations, even gets a solution to cover up the mess with his dad, the Sheriff.

 _Lydia_ is strong, when foreseeing so many deaths and still keeping a cold mind and exploiting that wonderful boot-ehm, brain she has.

 _Kira_ is strong, with the sword and almost immortality.

 _Malia_ , even, is strong, though lacking every type of knowledge and tact possible, she is strong and courageous.

What about him? Is he strong too?

Well, he defended his pack from Scott, when he was not himself. He has confronted his alpha, and hasn't lost, nor died. Nor has he won, yes,true, but he has managed to survive. Also, it was his voice that has brought Scott back to reality. Liam's voice has led Scot back to sanity, breaking the spell-induced trance.

Has he _saved_ Scott?

Wow, that's big to think. Maybe even too much. Too arrogant. But, at the same time, this is the naked truth: he has called Scott, and Scott has regained control.

So... So maybe Scott feels something too, because of the alpha-beta thing. Maybe Liam should ask. After all, it's very unlikely that Scott would freak out, punch him and throw him out of the pack. Well. Actually, Scott _would_ freak out. But he wouldn't do the two other things. And Liam is so ashamed and confused...

No, it's better to wait. Maybe it's going to pass, it's something that's gonna solve by itself. The time, and stuff like that. Yeah.

Shrugging his shoulders, Liam starts walking out of the hospital. He stops to say hello to his step-dad, walks further, and sees the Sheriff entering a room. With Scott's mom.

Liam waits around the corner, and, once the door shuts closed, he reaches out and waits, listening.

When he hears Deputy Parrish saying Scott's in trouble, he runs out like he's on fire. In a certain manner, he is.

The well scene, in season 4. I mean, how can people watch THAT, and not feeling the tension? And Scott is so sweet and protective around Liam! ( _Hearts in the air_ )


	2. Chapter 2

Liam is glued to the ground, eyes wide open.

Scott is lifted through air by _something_ , something that has _clawed_ hands closed on Scott's throat, and looks like a gigantic, no, huge werewolf towering.

What the fuck are those on his hands? Are those claws? They're too big to big claws! And claws don't glow, while these, well, it looks like they're glowin.

'What the hell?!' Liam thinks, furiously trying to figure out from where he'd better attack.

'Is this fucker a werewolf, or something else? A were-something else, maybe? With glowing, sharp long claw?'

He hasn't stop and heard enough of what Deputy Parrish and Sheriff Stilinski were saying, but he decides that he doesn't give a fuck. This thing is attacking his alpha, and that's all Liam needs to know.

He breathes, snarls and charges, with a pissed werecoyoted Malia right beside him, jumping along with him, at their alpha's rescue.

Liam tries to fight his opponent, his very big opponent, and it's almost like being again a Berserkwhatever: his enemy is so tall, so much taller than him, and those claws hurt like hell even when they barely scratch skin.

Behind him, there's a third dancer joining their waltz, but the newcomer doesn't look like being more lucky than Liam. Stiles is helping Kira up, the kitsune apparently only a little dazed.

Facing the new threats, the mysterious creature drops Scott on the ground. The alpha lands with a soft whimper, and Liam gets _so_ _mad_ , but he needs to focus. Malia charges first, but she is hurled a few meters away, landing painfully against a wall. She hits it hard, so much that Liam doesn't think she will get up in the next few minutes.

Stiles shouts her name and runs at her, but Liam can't hear what he's screaming. His alpha is on the ground. He is trying to focus. He is struggling to stay calm and think a plan, because _look_ what brute force has done on Malia. He can't just charge this fucker.

Also, it's difficult to come up with a plan whenyou have to dodge the increadible blows that the were-something is showering Liam with. He punches, claws, and gets viciously kicked in his chest, so hard he's next in being launched against the wall.

For two seconds, Liam can't manage to breath, barely aware of the third person, a male figure, attacking the stranger and defending Scott, but being rejected as well as Liam, Kira and Malia.

Then he feels his two dislodged ribs attach back together in the proper position. Almost fully recovered, Liam looks up, and sees Scott being lifted again, those mysterious claws glowing again while trying to dig something out of his chest.

Scott struggles, but the hold his enemy has on him is enough to have him moaning in pain after just half a minute.

Liam echoes whimpering his alpha's pain, he can feel his alpha's pain, he can feel his alpha's force diminishing, he can feel-he can also feel Scott getting angrier, bursting with energy and regaining it all back. He breaks with an eerie SNAP the forearm of his attacker, and roars into his face. He pushes back, landing on his own feet, right in front of the attacker, who's, now reduced to a whimpering mess.

Liam's heart thumps, and he's smiling proudly at his alpha, when Scott offers the man the chance to go away, even without asking for an explanation. He smiles even more when Stiles sarcastically gives the stranger the "I'd go if I were you" line, the two girls snickering right beside him.

The were-man goes away, running, visibly holding his injured arm.

Scott looks fatigued, but not much. He picks up the aggressor's fallen claws that he has managed to break off. They don't glow anymore, and by th look o them it's like they are dead now.

What the hell is that?

What the hell has just happened?

Who was that man?

Everybody wants to ask questions, and everybody wants answers, but nobody has any. From his side, Liam knows better than just putting asides as horror-movie-stories the chance that this man was really planning to rip Scott's heart out and eating it. He's been through too much shit not to believe that. But, it would be sooooo good to hear that that was _not_ the real intention of their mysterious attacker. It would be very comforting.

Scott looks up to the members of his pack, smiling his cute, reassuring and happy smiles that Liam has come to long for, the one that means that the bad things are over. He smiles at Kira, then at Stiles and Malia, then at Liam. When he reaches his beta's eyes, Scott's expression is back to the one Liam thinks he adores, like he is somewhat saying 'hey, you're safe now, it's ok'.

It's the kind of smile that makes everything warmer, and better.

-Are you OK?- Scott asks.

His alpha always cares for him, always take care of him. Liam smiles fondly and nods. He's not envious, or jealous, that Scott now turns to the others, asking them too if they're fine. They're pack, they all belong to Scott, and he is the alpha that worries for them all: his only real beta, the kitsune, the human, the werecoyote.

Liam could never be jealous of a tie so similar to the one he has with his family.

But then, Scott turns to the new guy, who, Liam had been right, is a male, and looks like their age. The newcomer gives Scott the line of being his close friend from primary school, and asks to be part of Scott's pack.

Well, that's the moment Liam starts to feel a bit territorial. Because a fucking _stranger_ asked Scott to be another of his beta, and, right now, Liam is the only proper beta Scott has, and he damn well _like_ the position. Thank god Scott, and Stiles with him, does not believe him, nor answer.

Liam wants to glare away this 'I'm-your-old-friend-from-2-grade' sucker so bad, he wants to punch him just for asking to share the beta position, he wants to tell Scott not to accept him (because, come on, he knows Scott is going to accept him, sooner or later). Maybe he'd better speak with Stiles, yeah, Liam should definitely suggest Scott to speak about this matter with Stiles, because Stiles _clearly_ does not believe the guy, and just " _fuck you_ , asshole, I'm Scott McCall only beta, and you can't have him" he thinks.

Then he freezes, and pales the tiniest bit. For some miracles, Scott is still too focused on this new guy, and fails to notice Liam's eyes cast down from the worst five second of shame he's ever experienced.

Goddamn! He's doing it again, he's behaving like some hormonal, lovestruck girl who wants so bad to be Scott's only girlfriend! That's so embarrassing!

Then ( _finally_!) the Theo-guy goes away.

Scott, Stiles, Kira and Malia are so engrossed with their special seniors ceremony they must not miss that they rush once back to the school, barely saying hello to their youngest pack member.

Liam watches them with the faintest smile on his lips, especially when Scott turns at the very last moment, checks with a look if the new guy has really gone and, therefore, Liam is safe. He recommends him to go home, bids him the goodnight, waits for Liam to say it back.

For a couple of seconds, Liam looks at the door that Scott has just disappeared through. Then he turns, starts walking back home under the rainstorm pouring buckets and buckets of rain He jumps on the first roof, as soon as he's positive no one can see him, and starts jumping that way, to reach his place faster.

HE mulls over the new guy thing, and has to admit that, aside from raising his jealousy, he didn't seem that bad. If Scott trusts him, which is really a matter of time, so should Liam. Right?

Something inside him refuses, but at the same time says that yes, he's supposed to please his alpha, whatever he thinks.

'Woha! That really came out so wrong!' he thinks, almost missing a step and slamming his face on the next roof.

He thinks it over again. He meant that he should support Scott's decisions, that he himself hardly has the authority to judge, no one can take decision aside from Scott, (and Stiles acts like some kind of supreme counselor) but, but, but..

Fuck.

He ponders upon that lapse. It has to mean something, it _must_ means something, if his brain suggested him a sentence in such a misunderstanding-able way. He meant he should stick to Scott's will, but what came out... well, that sounded much more sexual.

He lands on the windowsill of his house. His shirt is drenched, glued to his skin, as well as his sweater, trousers, and probably even his boxers. He slides a clawed nail under the window, lifts it and lands on the parqueted floor between his bedroom and the bathroom. The lights are out, his step-dad is at the hospital, and his mom works a shift until late, so no one is going to join him in the next hours.

He used to be afraid of rainstorms like this, but, since he's been bitten, there has been an incredible reassignment of positions in the ranks of what gets to be deined as dreadful, and what not. He has to grow used to so many others things, mainly mortal threats, that some previously scary others no longer affect him. It's a storm: it rains, it's water, maybe some lighting.

He takes off his shoes and wet clothes, undressing completely and silently walnking to the bathroom. He opens the hot water, the steam clouding the mirrors and teasing his nose. He ignores it, and gets in, basking in the warm of the water that hits his chest and head. He squeezes some of his favorite shampoo in his hands, and digs them in his hair, combing it and scratching with rounded nails.

Why did his brain suggested that he actually _please_ _s_ his alpha?

That's pretty odd, as an expression. He doubts he would use the verb _please_ for anything, in normal, everyday language conversations. But, it was a thought he thought, right?

What was he subconsciously thinking?

Is he really, secretly attracted to his alpha?

Uhm.

So much for the motto of not thinking about it, he snorts, but then he considers it. Would that really be a big deal, should he discover it's true?

Sexuality is not an issue for him, whatever is the team people wants to play for. His best friend is gay, and that doesn't make him less man or whatever. He surely knows his family would not give a damn, should he announce he's starting to think more about dicks than boobs. Well, maybe if he uses such a crude language, his parents would scold him, but not for being gay.

But, he's always been attracted to girls. He likes kissing them, he likes touching them, and he's pretty sure also sex with them is going to be so good. He has never fantasized on a man, ever.

Not even now can he start thinking sexually of a man, not even Scott.

And yet, apparently, he's harboring a crush-like something for his alpha.

He finishes showering and towels up, heading to his bedroom.

He's not sexually attracted to Scott, he doesn't feel attracted to the man, he just feels the need to be as close as possible to him. Must be really an alpha-beta thing. It's the only way it makes sense.

After a few hours, his phone lights up and in the pack's chat group Scott texts them all the goodnight. Liam, as everyone else, replies.

He tries not to wonder why sleep is so much better after that.


	3. Chapter 3

_Prick your finger, it is done  
The moon has now eclipsed the sun  
The angel has spread its wings  
The time has come for bitter things_

 _(Marilyn Manson, Antichrist Superstar)_

Sometimes things like to go to hell at the same time. All at the same time.

Like the day that your alarm decides to go on a strike, does not ring, and hence you don't wake up on time. Like the day when, if you don't want to be late for school, you have to skip both the morning shower _and_ breakfast (and boy, how hungry he is when he wakes up, now that he is a werewolf). On that same day you're very likely to lose the bus too, find out that the engine of your bike is down, your dad has decided to leave earlier for work that morning, and your mum has suddenly disappeared, probably because she has finally taken in the concept of 'mom, I'm old enough to wake up by myself, you don't need to call me'. Except you clearly still do, don't you?

On such a joyful day, when you manage to reach school, clearly not on time, but still so close to the ring of the school bell that, technically, you are _not_ late yet, as you tell the teacher who's giving you a note for being late. You also get a scolding and a crappy lecture for being late from boring professor WhateverHisName, and the teacher of your first class greets you with a nice, AdvancedEquation, StillObscureMatterForYou surprise test, still warm on your desk, and waiting for you, even if 'you are late, Mr. Dunbar' .

Oh, joy.

Yes, shit never happens once a day, when it happens.

So, because everyone knows this basic fundamental of life, especially a high school student such as himself, Liam knows that he has to expect the day to be a terrible one. When he wakes up, finds out that his alarm has not rung on time, realizes he doesn't have time for showering and breakfast, _and_ also have to rush to school and probably will end up anyway with a note for being late, he panics for three long seconds.

But then, he realizes something else: "Guess what, I'm a werewolf!" he smirks, bolting in the shower. He showers at an amazing speed, (though he has to admit that not even werewolf superpowers can allow you the time to indulge in the pleasure of the flesh), gets out and dressed in _twenty-five_ _seconds_ , grabs his school bag, lacrosse stick and gear bag. He literally jumps down the stairs, landing on the first step in one smooth, very cool jump. He drinks his coffee and eats all his cookies and fruits and pancakes in the next _thirty-two seconds_ , werewolf hunger be damned, but werewolf speed thankyousomuchforexisting.

 _Then_ , just then, when it's five minutes before the school bell rings, he bolts out of the window, starts running at his best, slows down at human speed only when the school is in sight, and manages to reach his classroom on time.

"Ah-ha, fuck you, Bad Luck Series of Events, you're not taking me down!" he pump-fists the air.

-Uh, Liam?- Mason asks, slightly surprised at seeing Liam seating next to him in the chemistry lab: -Why are you here?-

Panic.

Liam panics. He thought he defeated the Bad Luck Series of Events, but they've caught up with him. Mason's expression clearly reveals that the bastards have even manages to have the upper hand.

"Wait, what's my first class? What's first thing in the morning, Tuesday? It's chemistry, right? And, I have all class with Mason, so, if he's here, I have to be here as well, right? I _did_ stop the chain of Unlucky Events, didn't I?" he frantically thinks.

Mason smirks: -I mean, why were you this late- he clarifies in a murmur, eyes glancing at the teacher, who just comes in at that very moment.

Liam exhales a long breath, relieved: -Oh, god, you gave me an heart attack, man. I thought I was in the wrong class or something. I woke up late this morning, and I'm still a bit afraid to fuck things up- he confesses.

Mason chuckles softly, opening his book. Liam mirrors him, and spies on his friend's book to check the number of the page the teacher said. He remembers hearing her voice, but his werewolf acute hearing abilities requires a little time, especially in the morning, for him to adjust, and to understand which are the sounds to ignore, and which are those he'd better focus on. Like, he really doesn't need to hear that Becky, in the last row, and Ann, right behind her, are having cramps for their period.

"Ugh" Liam can't help but thinks. He is a boy, for fuck's sake, and, even if being a werewolf has turned out to be quite bloody, still, blood for him only means that something bad happened. He stil can't understand how a girl can take the sight of blood on a daily (well, monthly) basis. That, and being afraid of spiders or roaches. Liam's face wrinkles in disgust, and tries to hide it to his friend.

Not succeeding in it, clearly. Liam rolls his eyes and whisper: -I heard a piece of a conversation between the girls in the last row- he explains.

-And?-

-Period- he simply says, shaking his shoulders.

-Ugh- Mason's face mirrors Liam's previous expression: -So, what time did you get up?- he asks, changing topic. Which is good, because, GAH. But it's not, because, he could never tell Mason the truth. Either he would not believe him, or, worse, he might get suspicious. And there's _nothing_ bad like a suspicious Mason.

-Late enough to lose the bus. I was lucky I managed to run here and be on time-

Shit! How in hell can he expect Mason to believe him? No human and normal person can run from his place to school in less than twenty minutes! "Damn, mouth, shut up! And, brain, can we please start focusing on what we do, thank you very much? Goddamn, do I have to do this all by myself?"

Mason elbows him, interrupting his thinking: -Uh, sorry. At thirty, instead of sharp. So, I told you, I was very lucky. But I was drenched from the sweat-

-Really? You definitely don't look like that, believe me- Mason scoffs and adds a lower: -You're lucky. I sweat like a pig if I even take a lap around the school-

Liam smiles and the lesson kills their conversation.

He keeps half listening to it, and for the rest of the time he wonders about Scott, and the rest of the pack. Being late, he hasn't seen any of them, but Scott must know he's here, he can scent Liam. Although, it depends where his alpha is: if he's close enough he can, otherwise…

Liam frowns a little. Maybe it's better if he gives them a sign that he's alive on the chat group. He slides the pad of his fingers on the screen of his phone, reach the conversation, and reads. The girls, classy smart banshee included, have already texted him asking where he is and if he's fine. There is also Stiles, sarcastically suggesting that aliens have kidnapped him, though the sarcasm does not hide the worry behind the words. Scott wrote asking if Liam has run the whole way from his place to school, 'because, I swear man, I think I caught your scent doing exactly so, but then I thought, no way, it'd be such a stupid idea, risking exposing himself like that, when you could have just called'.

Liam blushes, his cheeks going a bit red. It's funny how Scott is telling this without being angry, like, scolding him and at the same time so not focusing on the scolding part, just worring for him. It makes Liam feel warm, the usual warm feeling that Scott so often raises in him.

"Oh, not again" he mentally winces.

He texts back that he's fine, and admits that yes, he has done precisely what Scott said. His alpha just answers with a "it's fine, next time just call me. I can give you a lift" with a half smiling-half winking emoji.

The bell rings at that very moment, and it takes a lot of effort for the young werewolf not to jump at the shrill sound. He and Mason move together towards their lockers, storing some books and retrieving others. They start walking for the next classroom, when, in the hall, they meet Scott, Kira, Stiles and Malia. The pack members greet him, but don't stop him, letting him go with Mason. He appreciates the fact that they don't interfere with his personal relationships, but still his eyes linger on them for a moment. He silently asks them what's new, figuring out that something happened from their faces. Stiles' forced smile and his expression suggest him to ask in a proper way, later. Liam understands: he sees Theo, Mr. New-Guy, approaching, and the atmosphere between the pack members goes suddenly very tense, Stiles suggesting Scott not to trust the new one, and Scott stating that he doesn't see the reason to do so.

Liam follows Mason. Unfortunately, his best friend keeps talking about the Berserkthings, and it's very difficult for him to dance around the subject. He manages to change the topic by mentioning the soon-to-be party at the lake, and Mason willingly lets himself be distracted with that.

Liam feels bad. For his best friend, for lying, for not telling him. He tells himself that he's not lying, not in the most proper way, but even by not telling such a huge news in his life it feels like lying. He really wishes he could tell him. Stiles and Scott have repeated many times that he can, even that he should, actually, since that would make things easier for him, for the pack, too, and maybe that way it would be easier to protect Mason, too, in the future. It's not like they can tell everybody, but they can choose someone trusted to be in the secret.

He should tell Mason, it's just... how is he supposed to approach his best friend, and say him 'by the way, I'm one of these supernatural creature you keep wanting to know about'?

That doesn't really sounds good.

The only thing Stiles has said about this, was that he honestly understood how Liam was feeling, having been through the same stuff, before. They all have. Unfortunately, this doesn't make it easier to tell Mason, and it's not even a suggestion. Maybe, he should ask Lydia. After all, she's the smartest of them, and quite sensitive too, being a woman. And a banshee, but, that's not the 'sensitive' type he needs now. He doesn't like the perspective of involving her, though, or asking her, when it's a matter between him and his best friend. Best friend whom, by the way, Lydia does not know at all, and hence it is definitely an issue that pertains only Liam.

There is also the fact that being around Lydia is not easy, aside in deadly situation involving their supernatural nature. For stuff like this, Liam really does not even know how to approach her. They're pack, he and her, but he has never asked her something personal like this. He usually approaches Stiles or Scott, and yet this time they haven't come up with anything helpful. It's like they want him to solve that by himself, like they did. Like in a transitioning rite.

Which Liam really doubts it is, and, however, Scott's simple "I'll be here for you, if you need it, after you tell him" was the resolute, final "do it, now, by yourself".

He knows he has to tell Mason. He just wonders when, how, and what exactly to say.

In the meantime, he just lingers, and let things be, hoping they're going to make it easier, instead of the other way around. Is it because he's spent so much time around Stiles, that he has this feeling it's all going to get so much worse?


	4. Chapter 4

It's night. The rain keeps falling, heavily hitting the ground, smashing on the glass panel of the window, on the walls of the houses, against the hard concrete of the street, and the cars that don't fit in the garages and are left under the stars. Which are nowhere in sight, in nights like this one.

The rain is so noisy. It's unbelievably loud. It hits every surface like an angry woodpecker, no, like thousands of angry woodpeckers.

He used to fear rainstorms. Thunders, bolts. Now there is only rain, the water pouring down the sky. He'd get so soaked, was he in the open right now.

There's also the wind, whistling, sneaking inside every tiny hole, split, or crack.

The noise is so much, that he can't just focus on the light breathing of his mom coming from the other room, like he usually does to try and get back to sleep at the relaxing sound. He can't focus on the dark shade of his room, like he did when he was younger, because there has been no more darkness since the bite. He was granted with a very cool nocturnal vision, which he usually adores, except in this circumstances. He can't focus on his own breathing, because the noise from the storm is too much even for that.

His breathing is calm. It hasn't gone wild since the time he was bitten, the night the crazy alpha version of Peter bit him.

Man, wasn't that painful.

Man, wasn't it just the starting of painful experiences.

He had to get used to pain since the transformation. Apparently, you can't be a werewolf and expect not having to endure torture and pain. Nice, isn't it?

Well, at least, his breathing hasn't gone mad since that night. Yes, it has fastened a little, when he was coping with his first full moons, but now he's all right. He hasn't had an asthma attack since a very long time, so much that now he actually wonders how does it feel to have one. It's like his body does not remember. In a certain way, his body was born again, that night he was bitten, so, his body really doesn't remember how was going under an asthma attack. His new body has no experience of it, thus no recollection. His old one, well, that did have both.

Scott twists the bedsheets again for the hundredth time now. He turns on his other side, than again lies on his back, crosses his ankles, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He really can't sleep this night. Which is pretty odd, because there is no apparent reason for him not to, considered that he has managed a few hours of sleep even in the worst, most anxious hours during the past years disasters. Not that he needs more than those, being a supernatural creature, but a few hours still feel nice.

Isn't that weird, that, at times like this, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he doesn't know what's happening, everything becoming confused, reality mixing with dreams, memories and fantasies. In times like this he marvels that he's still alive, after all the crazy stuff he has been through, he, and his friends, human or not.

He winces and closes his eyes, not wanting to cry again. Not wanting to remember, but not wanting to forget. Because it doesn't feel right, or fair, towards her, and because he is so fond of her memories.

He doesn't want to forget her: he thinks he never will, and never will be able to. He compares Kira to her, sometimes. Which is very cruel, both to Kira and to Allison's memory. What's wrong with him?

He was still in love with Allison, when she left him. He was still in love with her when Isaac started dating her. And he was still so much in love with her, in the very moment when she exhaled her last breath in his arms.

Not longer than a year before.

She had been so warm, and yet her clothed body gradually had gradually lost its precious warmth. She got colder and colder, and he couldn't do anything to hold it back. He had been squeezing her in his arms, holding her closer, tighter to his chest, like in a desperate attempt to warm her up again with his own body, but it didn't work. She had started fading, her scent weaker and weaker, the blood staining her hands and his, tainting her scent.

She had slipped away, like water between his fingers, and died. And he couldn't do anything.

Avenging her had felt so right at the moment, and yet the warmth that it gave him wasn't the warmth of Allison's body. It didn't help warming her cold body, nor has it brought her back. He hasn't seen her walking, hasn't heard her soft voice talking, and soon vengeance has lost its meaning. What was the point in avenging a loss, if you couldn't have back what you lost in the first place?

He hadn't wanted revenge, he had wanted Allison back.

Stiles felt pretty bad too. Scott will never blame him. It wasn't him, he knows, he's sure, and yet Stiles, being Stiles, the Stiles that doubts of everything, he didn't spare himself from mourning and blaming her death on himself. Scott knew, Lydia knew, Allison's father himself, as well as Derek, Isaac, even Peter. Everyone knew, and still knows it wasn't Stiles. But Stiles felt as bad as Scott for Allison's death. He still thinks her blood is staining his hands, his soul, leaving it scarred forever. Like a bite, but one that doesn't give you any special power, just an incredible burden.

A tear slides down his cheek, digging its way on the skin, reaching his ear. He opens his eyes, bat his lashes, closes them again.

Allison. He really misses her.

He really likes being with Kira, and feels guilty, because he has survived her, and now he has to cast aside her memory. He can't close the world off, and dedicate his life to mourn on her death. Which, by the way, maybe is something that he's blaming on Isaac, and thinks that leaving them just to seclude himself from the world to grieve on Allison's loss forever, was more a betrayal that something he must understand.

But, blaming Isaac for refusing to go on and wanting to escape and restart, that's not fair. After all, Isaac has lost much more than a girlfriend, and he is the one left with no family. He had a pack, sure, but, for some reasons, that wasn't enough to prevent him from leaving.

Scott still hopes he'll come back, one day. The tall, dark blonde boy definitely won't be a beta like Liam, but Isaac is still a friend. Liam is special, after all, and Scott knows it is hardly fair to campare the two: there is something pulling him to Liam, probably because Liam really is Scott's own creation. Still, Isaac is a friend, he's pack, and he deserves his alpha's protection. Scott's protection.

Scott feels horrible for having to cast aside Allison's memory. For havinhg to set her memory aside and go on living. He is torn between honoring her memory, and keep on living. He's not being honest with Kira either, when he can't but compare her to his previous love. He can't let go of the bad past, and give Kira the love she deserves. He can't even tell her what is going on in his mind, in his heart.

Nor can he speak freely, sharing his worries. He can't tell her what he is feeling for Liam. The terrible fear that he feels of losing Liam like he lost Allison, blood on his hands and a body cold in his arms. Just like that nightmare he had so many time ago, when he thought he'd kill Liam with his own hands.

Liam. His Liam, his creation, his beta. The first one he has ever made.

His responsibility, his puppy.

He definitely doesn't want to lose anyone else.

Thinking he was going to lose Derek was bad enough. Every time someone risks their life, Scott smells Allison's blood on his hands, and starts panicking someone is going to die, and he won't be able to do anything, but losing them.

He knows, rationally, that things aren't that bad. He kinows that this insane worry he feels about Liam's safety, or anyone else from the pack, it's all due to him still having to cope with Allison's death. He is still mourning, in some kind of way, and still needs time. His pack's affection, love and dedication will not make the pain go away, but it can help him to find the strenght to live again. Maybe not as carefree as he used to live before, but a good life anyway.

He is laying down on his bed, trying to make the memories of Allison dying in his arms go away. He's trying not to cry and weep and scream again, trying to let his mother sleep a good night sleep, once in a while, when she can afford it. He doesn't want to worry her, or let her know that her only son is crying his eyes out in the middle of the night, just a room away from hers. He really wishes the tears away, but doesn't manage to make them disappear, so he gets up. He throws the sheets aside, and restlessly reaches for the windowsill. He lingers, with his arms stretched out in front of him, fingers wide open, staring outside, the night.

The sky is almost black, the wind shuffling against the glass of the window.

He thinks of Liam, his only beta, sleeping, or so he hopes, in the safety of his house, in his bed, clean sheets folded around his body, fresh and clean and peachy. Like it is supposed to be. His beta is so young: he's barely sixteen, and yet he's so strong.

Scott manages a small smile: Derek was _so right_ , Liam _is_ really a strong boy. Not only in the werewolf sense of the term. He's sixteen, and was already the best lacrosse player that Beacon Hills has every seen, even before the bite. Now, he's simply unstoppable. Scott has made a secret, silent vow with Stiles to protect his beta, _their_ first beta, because, when it comes to Scott's pack, Stiles is as much of an alpha almost as Scott is. Stiles is like a part of Scott himself, and so Liam is Scott's only beta, but somewhat Stiles' too.

The wave of possessiveness that fills his chest, while he thinks that he and Stiles share the young wolf, Scott knows it is just a metaphor from his inner wolf, one that his wolf uses to assess and defends his territory, and that, from his wolf's point of view, Liam actually is his. _Only_ his.

He shrugs his shoulders, and tries going back to bad, sitting down and then laying on his back. He grabs his phone, and checks the chat group of the pack, and there, there it is, Liam's message. Scott smiles, reading Liam's text, Liam asking if anyone is awake, whining that he can't sleep because of the noise of the storm, damned werewolf super-hearing.

Scott texts back, asks him if he wants company.

Uhm. _That_ sounded a bit wrong, he thinks, but Liam's typing back. He says yes.

Uhm. That _still_ sounds wrong. But, it's Liam, it's his beta, and that entails a whole new set of measurements for what is wrong or not.

He leaves the pack chat and opens one between only Liam and himself. He asks him if he wants him to go his place. The way his chest fills of something that even he himself does not know how to name when Liam texts back, saying yes…

Scott's inner wolf is so pleased with that answer, that his mind starts picturing Liam in his bed, pale young body rolling over, his blonde head moving to bare his throat, offering it to his alpha...

"Oh My God!" he panicks: "what the fuck is wrong with me?"

Scott blushes, furiously trying to think why his wolf would think of his only beta in such a.. an almost _sexual_ way. He wishes that Derek was there. Sure, it would be embarassing as hell, but at least he could try asking, and the man might know. He's asked worse after all, he can endure Derek's smirk and wait for the answer.

Actually, maybe it's better if he _really_ asks him. Or, Deaton. The doctor is almost a father to him, and he's asked _very_ embarassing to him, too, so he could go to his mentor, the morning after, and ask him personally. Yeah, sounds like a plan. In the meantime, though…

Glancing at his phone, he gets up, grabbing a pair of jeans. He puts on his jacket right on his bare torso, and if that attire recalls Derek's, to hell with it. He slips on his shoes, the helmet, fishes his phone in his backpocket. He grabs the keys in one hand and leaves a note for his mum while lifting the window. The note is scribbled down in a hurried way, but his handwriting is not much better, normally, so she shouldn't notice his shaken state of mind.

He lands right beside his dirt bike, and in the next five minutes he's at Liam's place. Parking in his beta's garage, he sees the blond sixteen years old boy waiting for him. Scott gets down the bike, killing the engine, and Liam is hugging him in a second.

Scott's wolf feels like howling. He himself, his human mind, is a bit shocked, and for a second he wonders if the boy is hurt. But he doesn't smell like anything bad has happened to him… Scott's jacket is soaked wet, and Liam is only wearing a tee shirt and boxers, and he's getting drenched by the water soaking Scott's jacket. The blonde boy's face is shocked, his eyes are red, like he had being crying, but still, Scott can't figure out why. He doesn't smell like anything bad, still.

Scott feels like swearing. Fuck! Nothing in the world can do this to Scott's beta, and he needs to make him feel better, soon. He doesn't hesitate, hugging Liam back. He holds him close to his body.

Liam sighs, his forehead on Scott's shoulder, and Scott takes off his helmet, lowers it on his bike, and hugs Liam with two arms. After a few minuets, Liam's shirt is as wet as Scott's jacket, and the alpha disentangles himself from the hug to lift his beta's face, with a finger under his chin: -Hey you, what's happened?-

Liam's expression is the typical one when he feels something really wrong, but can't figure out what it is. Maybe he's a tad like Lydia, and can sense the danger coming, looming over them. Scott definitely doesn't discard the possibility.

-I don't know, I'm sorry. I guess I was afraid something could happen to you under the rain, I'm sorry- Liam's mumbling, cheeks reddening.

Scott smiles, and pats his shoulder:-Come on. I'm fine, but you need to change that shirt. It's all wet now. Hey look, I can see your nipples!- he tries to joke, pinching one bud with his fingers. Liam moves back with a chuckle and leads him upstairs.

Blushing. Scott notices it, and wonders if Liam's feeling a bit odd around him, like Scott' feeling around Liam. That could be, right? It would make much more sense, if he was and it was all due to the wolves, his and Liam's.

Liam walks a step before him, leading him on the stairs and in his bedroom, walking silently. They take off the wet clothes and slips under the covers of Liam's bed, in their boxers only, Liam instinctively spooning against Scott's chest, and it's incredible how perfectly he fits there. Scott hugs him with his free arm, and whispers him it's all right, they're all safe, and Liam doesn't need to worry. They set an alarm very early, not to be caught like this by Liam's parents and having them misunderstand everything, and close their eyes. Liam mumbles a bit that he's having only nightmares recently, involving pack members' death. Scott frowns upon that, and decides he's speaking with Lydia about it in the morning, but then starts again whispering it's all right.

His beta is asleep in a few minutes, and he falls asleep as well, at his beta's soft breathing sound.

Scott's hottest thing is the tattoo on his arm. And, funny how S3 started with him getting a tattoo, and S5 with the seniors signing ceremony,


	5. Chapter 5

**Reward for your patience. This is what you wanted.**

Liam dreams heat.

He dreams warm, hot waves rolling from behind him to the front of his body, burning him when they cross him.

They don't have a proper origin. He can't pinpoint where they rise from. It feels like they have always been there, silently rocking his body, their undulating pace hidden from the boy.

They don't have an origin, and yet they have a direction. They pas through all of Liam's body, reaching for a target that Liam himself can't spot. Caught inbetween dream and awakeness, he can't but surrender to them, letting them fill him and blind him to every other feeling.

Their warmth is tempting, whispering softly to his hear not to bother feeling any other feeling, nor to sense anything but this warmth, now, and forever.

Sometimes they speed up, accelerating their rocking movement, and sometimes they slow down, all by themselves, without Liam having a word on the matter.

He feels at their mercy, and barely realizes he actually is.

Here and there rationality peeks in, reminding him that his memory must know something about this warmth, about its source. In these flashes of consciousness, his memory sets off for its quest. It goes looking through the web of emotions and feelings, of past experiences preciously stored away in its folds.

Liam's memory brings back that moment when, barely a week after accepting his new nature and finding a place in Scott's pack, he found out that werewolves go in heat. He stared stunned at the piece of paper where the ancient book was telling him that, just like any other animal, just like a dog, a cat, a wolf, he would experience the same.

In its quest, Liam's memory brought back another conscious thought, providing another hint as to finding the source of the waves.

Scott.

Scott is here. He was lying with him, in his bed, when Liam tried falling asleep for the second time. After the many nightmares woke up the young werewolf from his first attempt at sleep, he came to him. After Liam asked his alpha to join him, he came.

Consciousness is barely enough to wake up a bit of shame, a tiny spark that set off in his brain. He remembers texting a very lame excuse on the pack's chat, like not being able to sleep because of the storm. He remembers asking in that very chat for his alpha to come help him sleep.

Probably, nobody would believe him, if he told them that they actually slept.

Regardless, his alpha had come for him, when Liam asked.

And in that moment Liam realizes that his alpha is currently sleeping behind him, spooning him. He can feel the strong arm draped across his side, the hand resting on Liam's stomach, flat, palm open.

Still not completely awake, he finds out that he doesn't feel embarrassement. How could it, when it feels so right to wake up with his alpha spooning him like this? How could he, when this feels like the perfect materialization of the bond they share, with his alpha protecting him?

Slowly allowing sleep and unconsciousness to take over, Liam sighs a longing sigh, and slithers closer to his alpha's body. He basks in the warm skin of his chest, pressed up against his back. He presses himself so close to the stronger body, that Scott's face ends up right behind Liam's ear. His alpha's steady breathing tickles his neck, but in a pleasant way.

Liam drifts in a deeper level of subconsciousness, where he doesn't know what's happening, almost completely asleep.

"Or not?" he thinks, his brain managing to switch on a few candles in the darkness his mind has fallen into.

He tries to figure out what is happening, where he is, but it's difficult. The awaken part in his head is so little, compared to the rest of him, sleeping and demanding that he gives in to sleep.

Everything is dark. He doesn't have a body. He's not a person. He's nothing, just perceptions. And the perceptions tell him about warmth, a good smell. They tell him, don't you want to turn and lick the source?

He does, and he turns. The source has this musky scent that fills his nostrils, and Liam licks it, lavishes it with tiny licks and kisses, mouthing the skin. The source is flat all but for a little part, where Liam can feel, in his blindness, a bud-shape. Liam teases it with the tip of his tongue, nibbing at it.

The perceptions call him again to action, prompting to move along the soft skin , savoring the delicious smell and the fantastic taste. He goes on in his search, lapping with his tongue, avidly licking.

While he goes on in his journey to discover the amazing skin, the tiny part of is brain that had managed to shed some light grows. The candles of consciousness become powerful sources of light, and he remembers, this is skin, and it belongs to his alpha. His wolf wakes up before him, and his wolf demands that he continues his path and exploration, because he can hear his alpha's pleasure.

Human Liam is still a bit out of it, but his wolf knows what's happening, he can feel and smell his alpha, and when Liam hear the deep growl, his wolf knows that his alpha is pleased with him.

The pleasure that feels his wolf at that notion wakes Liam up a bit further, and makes him moan. He wjimpers, his wolf telling him to roll over and give his alpha free access to his body. His wolf is chanting in Liam's head, filling it of pleas and prayers that are like a siren call, telling him to roll over, asking and begging Scott to just do whatever he wants with him.

Liam shifts and bends his neck, exposing his throat, in a whimpering pleas for his alpha to bite him.

And Scott does that. He grabs Liam's shoulders, rolls him on his back, and mounts on top of him. Liam opens his legs to grant him better access, the heat inside him becoming unbereable, scorching and maddening. The waves rock him with no mercy when Scott leans with the tip of his nose, and starts teasing at his neck with the tip of his tongue.

Liam moans again, a muffled sound against his alpha's shoulder, his delicious smell filling his nose, making him drunk and dizzy, and finally Scott opens his mouth to bite him.

His teeth penetrate the flesh slowly, almost tenderly, and then harder, swallowing the droplets of blood oozing out. Liam is not aware of the sounds that are escaping his mouth, the waves rolling inside him and whispering, this is what we were waiting for.

Scott laps at the wound and Liam's wolf understand that he is being told to start healing it.

He does, and Liam's human mind starts waking up, and barely manages to realize that Scott is moving with his mouth along his neck, down his shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, back to his torso, side, nipple. Scott's mouth teases him with the tip of his tongue, teasing and not granting him mercy even if Liam is begging, until Liam's back arches in pleasure.

"OHGOD" he is aware he thinks.

Scott bites down again, and his alpha's teeth are inside him again, but this is better that a few moments ago. This is like the first time, the very first time that his alpha bit him, it's the same place, and the teeth sink in the flesh precisely over that old spot.

It's so similar and yet so different from that time: he remembers pain, fear, while now he doesn't feel but a tiny sparkle of pain, a flash of an istant. This time feels so right, and Liam whimpers and moans wantonly, his head filled of broken thoughts of "please, please, please alpha, please, Scott, my alpha, please", and _thank god_ Scott is having his way with Liam's body, just like Liam _needs_.

Scott's teeth bite and scrape all over Liam's body, from his neck, down his torso to his thigh, to his groin and legs, then up again. His wolf teeth leaves tiny bites that start to heal immediately, and his human, blunt ones fill him of hickeys and scratches.

Liam hasn't stopped whimpering, not even trying to resist to the flood of pleasure at this assault, not even aware of the sounds he keeps doing. Scott growls, grinding his body against Liam's, rocking against the smaller body.

Liam can feel something, something hard that he doesn't remember ever feeling, rubbing against his own erection. The friction is so sweet, and his alpha growls and moans. Liam's wolf translate all that passion in praises, wording his alpha sounds, as if what Liam hears were words, telling Liam he's being so good to his alpha.

The sounds turn him on like the words would, and he keeps whimpering and his brain is dead, and he doesn't know if he is thinking or not, but if he is, his mind is a never-endind sequence of "yes alpha, please, again, please please please", until the pleasure builds so much that Liam shuts his eyes, and arches his back.

The boy screams for release, but the wolf in him whimper for more, praying his alpha to mark him, to cover the blond boy's body in his semen, to properly make him his own, and Scott rocks and grinds, Liam left at his alpha and his own wolf's mercy. He arches again, finally finding his release.

His alpha comes all over his torso, splashing with white drops both of them.

And, of course, this is the moment when consciousness brutally and effectively kicks in.

Scott props himself up on his elbows, panting. His red eyes simmer, the color darkening to their human shade, the pupil still blown out. He watches Liam, who is still trying to catch his breath under his alpha. The blond boy stares at his doubly painted chest, big blue eyes filled with too many emotions.

Scott rises on his arms, kneeling over the boy beneath him. His beta's face goes redder, but Scott himself is not much better. His own expression of embarrassment must be as priceless, when he finally manages to find his voice and mutter a dumb: -Uh...-

Negative effect: "that's a dumb thing to say, McCall", Scott's brain provides.

Positive effect: the blond boy chuckles and manages a lopsided smile: -Yeah... Do you think it was a werewolf thing?- he asks, embarassed, but not to the point of entirely not addressing what has just occurred between them.

Which, in Scott's book, makes Liam win ever more points.

He thinks about the question, and feels very inclined to think that yes, it was. That it has been just a werewolf thing, that it's something that happens between alphas and betas. It's the only way it makes sense, even if, actually it doesn't.

"I didn't feel any type of attraction to Peter, and I'm pretty sure Derek didn't almost-fuck his betas"

Cue in the mental image of Derek with Jackson sprawled under him on the floor of the old Hale's house, both grinding against each other to get off.

"Oh, my..."

Cue in image of Derek going down on Erika, she as well sprawled under him on the floor of the abandoned subway station they lived in.

Cue in Derek rocking against Boyd, and then lifting Isaac and holding him against a wall.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God. Brain! Stop this!"

-I, I guess- Scott stutters a bit, repressing the last thoughts. He looks at the blond boy on the bed, and manages a little smile himself, too: -Never happened before- he confesses: -but it can be-

-Why hasn't it?- asks Liam, rising on his elbows.

The white liquid pools on his lower stomach, a few droplets running down and staining his pale skin in a manner that _definitely should not_ turn Scott on. And yet, Liam's face is so innocent and open, that Scott can't spend much time wondering why his brain is suddenly so interested in the younger wolf's body. His smile automatically gets fonder, morphing into the one that Liam adores: -You're my first beta, remember?-

Liam smiles back, trying to ignore the way that answer sets off a new rocking of warm waves within him.

-I guess I'll have to ask Deaton about this, whatever it was- Scott adds, letting out a small sigh.

-Do you really have no idea?- Liam asks again.

-Totally- Scott admits, shaking his shoulders, as if to say, look, I'm new at being an alpha, I suck. Liam can't help but wondering why would Scott ever doubt his worth as an alpha.

The younger boy sighs, and falls once again flat on his back: -Dammit- he mutters.

-Yeah, I second that. But...- Scott shakes his head: -I've been feeling a bit… odd, around you, for a while. I guess there's a connection between that feeling and this… well, this _development_ \- he says, eyebrows winking suggestively at the last word, and Liam's cheeks redden once again.

"How can you make fun of _that_?!" he can't help but wonder.

-So, you think it is possible it is only a werewolf stuff?- he repeats, but voices it like a question.

Scott looks at him, this time more seriously. His eyes are still the usual soft chestnut brown, and on his lips there still is his trademark fond smile. The seriousness merges with fondness, as if to reassure Liam of something that he does not know, but promises they can work out.

-Unless you have to say anything new to me... - he asks, and Liam was _so not_ expecting that, that he blushes again, fumbling with his words before stuttering: -Oh. Uh, no, actually no- he answers, and Scott almost breaks out another smile.

"I knew it! It must be a werewolf thing, period" he concludes.

-But...- Liam adds, and Scott has to refrain from frowing.

"Dammit. A 'but'. So much for reaching a conclusion".

Words fail Liam for a moment. The thing is, they are together in this thing, whatever this is, and he is not the only one feeling embarassement. But, despite undeniably being embarrassed, Scott doesn't show it that much, like Liam is.

The blond beta knows that his alpha is in his same predicament, but, the fact that he can hide it better than him, if only because Scott is a bit more at ease with his own body than how Liam is, it bothers him. It's an unpleasant feeling, because it makes the whole situation unbalanced. Unfortunately, it's the kind of unbalancement that he has learned to put up with, because, so often Scott, the mighty alpha, is doing better than Liam, the messy beta.

And he _needs_ to find the words, because his alpha _must_ know the truth, or he won't be able to work out anything. He can't figure out what's happening, if Liam hides the truth.

-I have been feeling a bit weird around you, too. It has been giving me a hard time, at times. I didn't want to tell you, because I wasn't sure it was the wolf, or something inside my head- he admits.

Scott encouragingly nods:- What do you think now?-

-I guess it's really the wolf- Liam replies, serious but calm.

Scott nods again, and hen they both looks down at Liam's body, covered in semen and marks and hickeys and bites. As if he just realizs the extent of what he has actually done to his beta's body, Scott grimaces: -Did I hurt you?-

-No- Liam honestly answers, shaking his head.

".. But thank you for asking" he adds in his mind, the waves once againrolling inside him at is alpha wondering about his wellbeing.

Then, deciding that he doesn't like that frown of Scott's face, he conjures a coy smile and adds: -And, honestly? I think if you did, it was kind of required by whatever happened. Because, I definitely did not dislike it-

Scott smirks, and for a moment he even looks _smug_ , but then sighs: -I guess I'm asking Deaton, tomorrow morning-

Liam rolls his eyes: -Yeah-

"Something that I really look forward, people knowing what's happened. Oh, joy"

-It's the only way we can understand what's happening- Scott points out.

-I know. I'm just, not very fond of the idea of telling people about this- and he gestures at his torso.

Scott smirks again and this time he definitely looks smug, but then he shakes his head and sits on his heels: -It's the same for me- then he rolls his eyes and cusses softly:- I don't even want to think what Kira is going to say...-

-We are _so not_ going to tell this to anyone in the pack, please- Liam asks, his eyes immediately big.

He wouldn't survive Stiles knowing.

Scott seems to ponder about his request, then nods in acceptance: -Yeah, Ok. It makes it easier, especially for the time when we still don't know what happened-

Liam feels so relieved.

-What about now?- Scott asks: -do you want me to go home?-

"And make everything just so cold, in a heartbeat? No way"

-No- Liam answers hastly, springing up on an arm.

Scott rases a single eyebrow, and Liam hurries to expain: -Please. Stay. I don't think it's gonna happen again, anyway. We can have a shower, and go back to sleep- he suggest.

His own words trigger a realization in his own mind.

They can shower.

Because they are in a house, with a bathroom.

And a bedrom.

Many bedrooms.

And the house belongs to...

-Holy fuck! My parents!- he whispers, paling and actaully jumping seated on the bed.

Scott can't help but stares at the solidified semen that does not rivultes down Liam's body, nor stain the bedsheets.

-I hope my parents didn't hear us!- Liam adds, still whispering, still scared.

To that, Scott can sympathize. He concenrates on his surrounding, casting aside the sounds and smell that Liam is emanating. He finds the two adults' heartbits and breathing, and find them regular. They can't have heard a thing.

"Which is incredible. Liam might be a moaner, but he's the loudest one ever"

For a few agonizingly silent seconds, Liam is completely still and waits for Scott's answer. He could probably find ut by himself, but is too scared to focus properly. Especially with his alpha so close to him, his scent filling his nose.

Despite the tension, though, he can't help but notice how cute Scott is, in this position. This expression can't be to different from the one a real wolf, or dog, would wear when aiting with twitching ears, if they were capable of making human expressions.

-It's ok, their breathing is regular. I don't think they've heard- Scott finally says.

Liam exhales air he didn't know he hadn't let out, and smiles relieved. Smiling back, Scott gets up. He stands and reach out for Liam, offering him an hand to help him up.

They silently pad with bare feet to the bathroom door, and lock themselves inside. In the shower, Scott findshimself taring once again at Liam's white stained lower stomach.

He grimaces, knowing how gross dred cum can feel on the skin. Liam catches his look, and Scott smirks sympathetically : -It's so not good to look-

-Yeah? Tell me about it, you don't even feel it- Liam replies with a frown that hides the blushing.

Because actually, he kinda enjoys the feeling.

 **That time when you decide to open with a quotation, you decide for "paint it black" from Rolling Stones, because your character will drift between conciusness/subconsciousness, AND YOU CAN'T QUOTE THAT, because the whole chapter ends with more… white stuff than black. Too bad.**


	6. Chapter 6

'Damn, it's so _hot_. What the hell is happening?' he wonders, mentally grimacing as he remembers what that heat has entailed last time he has felt it: 'Is it another wet dream again? Oh, please, don't let it be so...' he wishes in fear.

Trying to calm down and collect his surrounding, Liam realizes a couple of things.

First: his eyes are closed. Second, this type of warmness is different from _that_ time. This is of a much more traditional, usual type. It has a source, and a direction, and it's hitting him, falling onto him.

It hits his chest, pretty much like Scott's semen, that's true, but in a way that evokes more liquid substances. The flow is different as well, more steady, less thick. The scent itself is a further proof that this is, in fact, not Scott's semen.

It smells like...

'Water?'

He pushes against his body and manages to finally open his eyes. He finds himself on the shower's floor, curled up in a ball, with little idea on why and how did he end up there.

He tries to reason, to remember, but for a long moment his brain fails him. He tries to figure out an explanation by logic, and thinks that maybe he fainted.

'Do werewolves faint?' he frowns, trying to get on elbows and knees.

'Looks like they'd do'

His head is spinning, and he keeping his eyes open is proving to be less eyes than it should. His vision blurs, and he feels like throwing up.

'Nh, goddamn, what the hell is happening to me?'

He shakes his head, and a whole new wave of nausea hits him.

'Breath, breath, air, in, out, in, out, good Liam, in, out, in, out, in, out... Count to three. The sun, the moon, the truth. The sun, the moon, the truth. The sun, the moon, the truth...'

While thinking and chanting the old mantra in his mind, he focus on the person who taught him this trick. He remembers Derek's eyes, pale green, calm and cold, and yet warm. He focuses on his memory of Derek's voice, gruff, husky, but safe and unfaltering. He remembers Derek's fierce expression, calm, mysterious, so sure that the trick he was teaching Liam would work. So proud, in some way, of passing the remedy to another wolf. So calm, when the rest of them were all panicking, and the only one who was so sure that Liam was going to regain control over his wolf.

Air gets in, then out.

'The sun'.

In, out.

'The moon'.

In, out.

'The truth'.

In, out.

'Yeah, like that' he encourages himself, feeling a little bit stupid, but not stopping.

In, out.

He opens his eyes, and they feel normal, not the glowing, werewolvish yellow. The spinning has stopped, too, and he manages to lift himself on elbows and knees. While he works on shifting further, and sits, he keeps wondering what happened.

If he really has fainted, why did he?

He creeps behind, stopping only when he feels the cold wall of the shower against his damp skin. The water is still flowing, the stream keeping him warm, and yet he is shivering.

He tries to remember where he is, and when.

He knows it's day, from the daylight he can see from the window.

He knows also that he is at home, in his parents' home, and that he is safe, which is another very pleasant thing to know.

He steadies his breathing, and realizes the shivering is subsiding.

It's a normal afternoon. He remembers checking the time on his phone, deciding to go for a shower, and that everything was normal.

'How did I fal down and not hurt myself?' he wonders, then realizes that on his elbows and side some bruising are being slowly reabsorbed by his werewolf body.

He must have definitely fainted, and fallen.

There is a faint echo of music from downstairs. His mother must have not heard him falling, since she is listening to music, while working.

Her face pops up in his mind, and he remembers speaking to her, telling her about his school day. His step dad was still in the hospital, before, and probably still is.

He still feels scared and insecure, even if everything is coming back into place. He wants to call Scott, because his alpha always makes him feel better. It's stupid and childish, but at this point he doesn't really care.

The problem is that he doesn't have his phone close to reach. For a moment, he considers shouting for his mom. Would she freak out, if he tells her he fainted and she finds him sitting on the shower floor?

She would probably do. Also, should it turn out that it's a werewolf thing, it would be twice as weird, and twice a bad idea. Despite the pack encourages him to tell his best friend about his secret, Liam knows that adding his parents to the list of people who _know_ would be a bit too much.

Either Mason or them, and he can't really bring up the subject with them. Plus, Mason kind of already suspect something. In general, not related to Liam.

'Fuck. One day I _will_ have to tell him...' he mulles to himself.

He doesn't exactly long for that day. He has no idea on how to breach the subject, and isn't sure if Mason would take it well. He doesn't want to risk jeopardizing their friendship, and _well_ , he angrily decides that _now_ is not the best moment to ponder on that.

He focuses on trying to get up, or at least crawling on hands and knees until he reaches for his phone on the windowsill. He needs to ask the pack if this can be a werewolf thing, or if there is something wrong with him.

He manages to get up wobbling a bit, but he gets steadier after every minute.

Grasping his phone in his fingers, he tries tapping in a message with one hand, the other one still clutching the wall. He opts for recording a vocal instead, and asks if it's normal for werewolf to faint, out of the blue.

He is aware that, put it like that, he is going to make them worry over him for nothing, but well, you don't cry over spilled milk, do you?

Scott texts immediately after, asking if he's fine.

Lydia sends back a vocal as well.

"Hey Liam, do you manage to read what Scott's written you, or have you trouble using your eyes? By the way, I don't think it's connected with the werewolf stuff. Are you ok?"

Well. Lydia definitely will never be a nurse, but she _does_ have a brain.

He bets Scott is blushing now, listening to her words, and he sends immediately a vocal as well, saying how he's sorry for not thinking before about the chance that maybe Liam can't read, and asking again if Liam is OK, and alone.

-No, I'm with my mom, but I didn't want to tell her, and, you know, make her worry for something she doesn't understand-

"You did well, Liam, good move" Scott replies.

Oh, god, the _way_ his heart is thudding into his chest at the praise...

'THAT is not good'

He shakes his head and hits play for the next recording, which is Stiles'.

Hey Liam, just try to lie down for a bit, OK? I wouldn't say it's a werewolf stuff either, but it's better if you don't faint again, maybe with your mom finding you. Or listening to these vocals, by the way. Do you manage to reach the bed?"

Liam grimaces and thinks seriously about it, then set for a new recording: -Yeah, I can. Maybe I'll have to crawl a bit instead of walking, but I can. Thanks guys-

"Mmm, Liam on his hands and knees. Fresh meat crawling, Wow, am I excited now..." Stiles' snarky voice softly murmurs, pretending to be turned on.

Liam really blushes, and replies with a recorded "fuck you" that he doesn't say often, the rest of the pack being almost all seniors while he is the only one so young, but well, when it's due, it's due.

Stiles' "anytime, babe!" makes him blush again, but he decides to focus on more important matters at hand, and settles for crawling-walking back to his bedroom.

He grabs a towel during his way, trying to dry himself as well. He reaches his bed and lies down. His head is not spinning anymore, and he slowly tries to sit up and then stand, and it's fine, he's good.

-Peachy. I'm standing. Whatever it was, it's over- he mumbles with himself, and slowly walks to his closet. He grabs clean jeans, a tee shirt and socks. He realizes with a cuss that he has forgotten to take a clean pair of boxers as well, and he is more than half the way for his bed, again. No way he'll turn around and goes again for a stupid pair of boxers.

'Who cares. Nobody is going to find out' he thinks.

And then fiercely blushes, realizing that, actually, there is _someone_ who might, if the _thing_ that has happened the other night occurrs again. Namely, his alpha.

He facepalms, blushing madly: he really did _that_ , didn't he?

He blushes and comes to terms with the fact that yes, he did, indeed. He has made out with Scott, his alpha, captain of the lacrosse team. He has ground and writhed under him, let him kiss and bite and manhandle him, and enjoyed it too.

How in heaven he is going to manage looking at the guy in his face, next time he sees him, it's above his comprehension. The mere idea of looking up in his calm and fond eyes makes his blood boils, and not only in embarrassement.

He berates himself, telling himself that there is little point in getting worked out over something that has already happened. It's in the past, no point in having a crisis over something that can't be changed, right?

He focuses on his breathing exercises again. In, out. In, out.

'Breath, man, just breath. Yeah, good'.

He tries to rationalize it. Yes, he has done it, he has done all of those things that his mind has just listed (as if he needed the memo), but it could have been worse. 'For instance, have I sucked off the guy, gave him head? No. That's already an achievement, a good one. Good Liam'

He praises his brain for that helpful entry, and also tells himself that, after all, that's a game that requires two players. He has done all of that.. but so has Scott. If Scott manages to overcome the shame and embarrassement, so should Liam.

And then he realizes that he isn't very happy with his own thoughts. Because he keeps thinking that what he feels is 'shame'. He does, but that's not completely true. He doesn't regret it, after all, not even a bit, because it was an hell of an orgasm.

And, well, OK, he is not that experienced with girls and orgasms that are not provided by his own hands, but, still, he can recognize a good one when he feels it. Which is why he doesn't want to regret the one he has experienced.

Also, if Scott is right, and what has happened has only been a werewolves thing, it's not Liam's fault if he just felt like going with the flow.

He keeps looking at the chat group.

The situation with the new weirdos in town is getting worse, and now everyone is speaking about the last murders, the lawyer's and the policeman's, or the missing crazy bitchy Donovan ('Donovan? Is that the name? Jesus, brain, that's a common name, you could manage to remember it...') who threatened the sheriff.

It's a nasty situation. Another murder, another murderer.

He wishes he could close his eyes, and make all this crazy shit disappear. He bets that the others feel like that too, but everybody knows that that would be a pretty pointless thing.

He types in the chat, and asks what are they doing, if they want him to join them as well. He is feeling really better now, and takes a couple of walks and jumps around the room and house to be sure.

Of course they want him.

He smirks: he might not be as smart as Lydia or Stiles, nor strong like Malia or special like Kira, but his pack asks him to go and help, as if his presence makes a difference.

Which is probably not true, but he does anyway.

He joins them, listening to Scott and Lydia who are telling stories so crazy and weird about weirder people that Liam wishes again that this was all a joke, or a movie, or just to close his eyes and make all this shit disappear.

-Uh, OK- he mumbles, after they finish their story: -So, what do we do?- he asks, and tries to be effective, practical, not to bring down the mood.

Stiles smirks, the way he does whenever he's going to say that there isn't much they can do, and that basically they are all dead.

Liam figures that he might not have sounded that effective, after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**The captain bids Official Season 5 a farewell and fuck you. Thank you for flying with VBK Airlines. Now let's go on without thinking about how messy (and disappointing?) season 5 is turning out.**

Liam paces outside the door. Up and down, repeatedly, slightly feeling as a soon-to-be father waiting outside the hospital room for his soon-to-be-born child to come to the world. Or, like a normal teen age boy just outside the ladies' restroom door, waiting for his girlfriend to tell him the result of the pregnancy test.

The more he thinks about it, the more this second option feels more apt to describe his feeling. And it sucks, because, in this very situation, _he is the girl_. And that's a tiny bit embarrassing, even if he can't really figure out _why_.

He keeps saying to himself, that he is not alone in this. That it's not his fault, that he is far from pregnant, or laboring, or waiting for the love of his life to finish laboring to go and see his firstborn. His situation is complicated, true, but not that much. It's weird enough to make him feel constantly ashamed of something, that he can't counterargument, but, surely it could be worse, right?

"Riiiight" he thinks, not believing his own line of thoughts.

He sighs and tries to stop pacing. He must have dug a hole in this corridor, and consumed all the sole of his shoes. He actually hasn't, he finds out, and the fact is actually a surprise.

Schools has never been more a burden to him. He has been sentenced to a long wait, and the day can't fucking drag itself away. Scott told him to _just go to school and act normal_ , and _wait_ , and, right now, Liam feels like punching his alpha's pretty boy face. Because, clearly, how sadistic is this?

How can Scott expect Liam to manage waiting for a whole day, when his alpha is at the vet clinic, trying to find the best moment and words to ask Deaton what the hell is happening between him and Liam?

Seriously, did Scott appointed him with a task that he _knew_ Liam was never going to accomplish?

Oh, well.

Was Liam a smoker, he would definitely be smoking a whole pack right now. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for his lungs and skin and body, no one in the pack smokes, and he can't go buy himself cigarettes.

Here we go, one coping mechanism that he knows works with waiting, and he can't even try it. How is this fair?

He tries not to sigh again, thinking that he doesn't want to attract more attention than he is doing. He goes to sit at a random table, but then checks his phone. End of the break, he needs to get back to class.

Cursing that too, he jogs down the corridor and sits in the correct classroom. His head feels so light, that he check twice that he is in the right room. He crosses the whole room for one of his usual seats in the back, but not too back.

Mason is already there, a quick smile flashed at him, before that smart head goes back to reading his notes.

Liam tries to mimic his friend, and opens his own notebook. He stares at the notes written down, which actually are Mason's notes that he copied on a day that he felt against wasting the paper to make a copy. His own handwriting is far from the neat thing that Mason's is, but it's not this the reason why he can't focus to read more than a single line.

He is still so tense, and he knows that it shows, but he can't do much about it. He fidgets in his seat and tries reading again, but the conversation with Scott comes up once more.

He breaks his pencil between his fingers, and two girls on his right chuckle at that. Mason, on his left, just lifts an eyebrow. He doesn't need to actually voice out the 'What the hell, man?', and his inquiring eyes are fixed on the broken pencil.

Liam finds suddenly very difficult to repress the urge to facepalm himself. _Of course_ he would do something suspicious, like snapping a pencil _in two_ _goddamned fingers_ , which is hardly what a normal person would do, the very day that Scott asked him to stay put and act _normal_!

As if angry, normal human people snapped things into fingers just like that!

"Wait a minute. Angry? Anger!"

Realization dawns on him, and suddenly he feels so proud of himself that he mentally fist pumps air.

Mason is still staring at him with inquiring eyes, and Liam scowls back, putting up a troubled face. He just whispers 'Anger issue' between his clenched teeth, but it's enough.

After all, anger was once famous for having him snapping at any time, towards anyone, in any possible situation, so he doesn't really have to explain further than a strict line like 'anger issue'. For the first time in his life, he can be thankful for what he has fought against all his life.

Well, before becoming a creature that has to fight to survive, that is.

Voices are turned down while the teacher gets in and starts talking. Mason pats at his shoulder, and whispers back in a sympathetic voice: -Man, chill. Just, calm down, breath, you know. You haven't had an episode in months- he tries to comfort and be reasonable.

It has never worked before, but, considering that the issue at present is different, it does, in fact, relax Liam a lot. Because it means that he managed to shift Mason's attention on something less dangerous than him finding out about his best friend's supernatural powers.

-I know...I guess I'm just tense- Liam whispers back.

-For what in particular?- Mason lifts an eyebrow, more amused than suspicious: -Maths test? Or chemistry?-

Despite people in the pack saying that he is the most naive and innocent person ever, and the worst liar too, Liam knows actually how to be credible. And he knows that there is no way Mason is going to believe him, if he says that yes, he's having anger issues because he is tense for school and homeworks.

But, because Liam actually has a brain, he knows what is that will persuade even Mason's ever doubtful mind.

-The next match, man- he sighs, making it sound like a painful admission.

He's complimenting himself on the inside, but at the same time he realizes that there is a particular reason why this line sounded credible. For the next match, they are going to play against Brett's team, again.

Liam's old team.

He frowns a bit. He's not worried about that. Not only because he had to slightly reconsider his priorities, lately, and 'survive hunters and crazy people' got quickly on top of that list, while 'losing a match or sucking at lacrosse' was considerably demoted.

Plus, it's difficult to be tense and worry for a match against that team. He's a fucking werewolf, and plays in a team with a kitsune, and true alpha. Even if Brett had an entire team made of beta-werewolves like himself and Liam, they still would never win.

But, the good thing is that Mason doesn't know it, and buys Liam's explanation. He nods slowly, and pats Liam's shoulder again. Then he goes back to writing down notes that he and Liam are both going to need and use.

Liam tries once again to copy his friend, if not actually taking notes, at least listening, but he can't pay attention. He doesn't like maths, at all. It used to be because of the anger issue, not having the ability to stay calm, focused and concentrated enough, for enough time.

Chemistry is a bit better, because he likes that a bit more. When he wasn't a wolf, and was feeling the anger building, he could repeat himself, "calm down, this is going to be useful, calm down. It's not only numbers, it's elements. Things. Stuff" and that usually worked out. Sometimes. Now he's a werewolf and has to cope with all the matter from a different point of view.

He's glancing at his phone for the time every twenty seconds.

Yeah, so much for not thinking about it and act normal.

"Breath in, breath out. Calm down, Liam. It's still morning. You have to face the whole day in here" he tries to tells himself, to relax.

Derek's mantra always helps, at least slightly, and he further encourages his brain to just stop worrying: "Think of Scott. Scott is going to fix everything. He's going to help you, just like he always does" he says to himself.

Scott's expression pops in his mind. The soft eyes he has when he tells him to stay calm, when he praises him telling that he's strong, or reminding him that Derek praised Liam in front of Scott. Told him how lucky he is to have him as a beta.

"Breath in. breath out".

 _Thinking of Scott backfires. There's no way not to picture him and Scott in a bed together, again, now. The panic rises again, and his brain keeps shouting that, to hell with calm,_ _he's fucking his fucking alpha_ _!_

"Wait, brain, waaaait. This is not doing any good. Stay calm, and breath. Breath man, breeeeeeath. In, out" he tries to fight the panic.

"The sun", air goes in.

"The moon", air goes out.

"The truth", in again.

"The sun", out.

"The moon", in.

"The truth", out.

He tries to reason again. After all, whatever is happening between him and Scott, it's not sex, and they didn't fuck. Ok, technically it still belonged to that realm, since it was a session of… heavy petting, but that's it. It's way different than actual sex. Liam is no expert when it comes to that, but he knows what sex entails.

And he knows that _that_ was not real sex.

 _Unfortunately, this doesn't bring peace to his worried mind. He still feels so uncomfortable with this. He can't even look at himself in the mirror, and he doesn't know how to explain what he feels._

 _Part of him argues that it's because Scott isn't a woman. The other part freaks out and says it's because it's not a human thing._

 _He admits that both are true. It's not easy, finding out out of the blue that he can be attracted to a male body, even if only one in particular only. And, to realize it in a context when he didn't even have clear knowledge of what was going on…_

The bell rings, startling him, slightly hurting his ears too. He recovers quickly and stands up a bit too harshly, so much that he has to grab the table before he knocks it down. He picks up his bag and turns to Mason, who's collecting notes and pens without looking at what he does, and throwing them all in his bag at random.

-So, are you coming with me?- Mason asks, his face fixed on Liam's.

He gets up and they both walk out the room.

-Where am I supposed to come?-

 _Oh, the pun._

-Duh, to that club, you know. The one you said I couldn't shut up abut- Mason answers, smirking in that nice way of his.

"Oh, damn. _That_ club" Liam grimaces.

Mason has been harassing him into accompanying him to this new club, all week. The thing is, it's a gay club, and he definitely doesn't want to go to a fucking gay club, at least before finding out what's happening between him and Scott. He really can't go in there without knowing in advance if what happened was just a werewolf thing, or there might be the chance that he's into guys as well.

He lets out a frustrated sigh and starts walking towards the door of the classroom: -What about that club?-

-I told you, man, are you even listening to me?- Mason looks a bit frustrated as well, but he's smiling his lazy smile: -are you coming with me?-

-Do I have to?-

-Hell yes. You're my best friend, I need you to be my wingman! I need to get laid-

-TMI, man- Liam chuckles, pretending disgust that he would never feel for his best friend.

-Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I listen at you when you talk about girls and tits-

-When did I do that?!- Liam hurriedly turns to look at him.

God forbid him from starting acting like a moron, he already has to put up with the consequences of dry-humping Scott while they were sleeping.

Mason is silent for a few seconds, like he is actually thinking about it, than shakes his head and chuckles: -Well, never. Not yet. But, I know you're going to start, soon or later-

Liam snorts.

-Come on, please, I can't go alone!- Mason begs.

Liam thinks about it.

He looks at the floor, the dirty light blue linoleum that smells like dust, tainted water, mud, cigarettes' butts, fire and, very, very faintly, soap. The school went on fire, recently, and the floor is the most abused witness, apparently. Th _ey will never wash_ _away_ _the_ _nightmares_ _from_ _it_ _, will they?_

He thinks about the news the pack gave him.

He thinks about the girl, the one that Lydia and her mom were trying to help. The one they thought was an omega, but it turned out she was a kanima.

"What is a kanima, again? Hell, I have to remember to ask Lydia, again. No wait, I don't want to ask her. She's too scary. Maybe I can ask Stiles. Even if he would look at me with that face he has when I ask dumb questions. Is it my fault if I don't know this stuff?! It's not like there is a manual. Or maybe I can just ask Scott?"

Here he goes, back to Scott.

He shakes his head and goes back on the topic of Mason's night out. His best friend wants to go out, at night, when there have been homicides, once per night, twice in a row. Doesn't Mason have any sense of incoming danger, at all? Is it a human thing? Was Liam this reckless, back then?

His mind pictures the faces of the victims. The crazy girl's father, the policeman, and then herself. Deaton has her body, now. The sheriff himself doesn't know how to deal with the way the craziness is degenerating.

As Lydia pointed out, the girl herself wasn't even crazy. She had.. how did Lydia called them? Liam can't remember, but he knows that he can trust the banshee girl to be right. When a banshee talks, you believe her, even if she says difficult stuff for you to understand. Especially if said banshee is also Lydia Martin kind of smart.

He exhales slowly, considering Mason's request.

His pack hasn't asked Liam anything for that night. He is, technically, free to go. And Mason wants to go to the club so badly, he will probably end up going with someone else. Someone who is not a werewolf and won't be able to protect him, if the proverbial shit hits the fan.

And, it might be difficult to protect Mason without letting him know about Liam secret nature, but, if it means keeping his best friend alive, well, to hell secrecy. His pack has been telling him to let Mason know, anyway, so, it's not like Liam would let anyone down.

Further good thing? It would be a perfect way to let Mason know, without having to face the most awkward conversation Liam has been avoiding.

-Alright, I'll come with you- he lets out: -Just... just tell me how I have to dress up, to _not_ be bothered by half the club-

Mason laughs, happy, and starts babbling about the night. Scott texts him in that moment, in a private chat. Liam tunes out his best friend's merry monologue, and quickly picks up his phone.

 _Deaton says he has no clue about us. Said he's going to look into some books, will try to find out for us. Is that ok?_

Well, no, that really isn't. But it's neither Scott nor the good doctor's fault, if they can't come up with an answer. He scowl at the screen, and texts it back to his alpha. He adds that he's going out with Mason, that night.

Scott's replies telling him to have fun but pay attention. The pack is going to investigate further on this thing about the Doctors and Lydia's dreams, all stuff that Liam either hasn't really understood or hasn't paid enough attention when it was being discussed. Which was a stupid thing, but, whatever. They won't need him, and Mason might do with a bodyguard. Even without knowing that he's bringing one along.

"Seems like I'm free for the night", he says to himself.

That night, Liam recognizes the first sign of a bad night as soon as he walks in, and sees his ex girlfriend. Mason has to bribe her with actual money to let Liam in too. Things proceed to an even worse level, when Mason, barely two minutes after, starts trying to hit on _Brett_. And Brett, the fucking idiot, actually reciprocates, which sends Liam's mood even lower.

 _Right when he's thinking that this couldn't go worse, he bumps into his ex again, and, despite werewolf agility, makes her spill a whole tray of expensive drinks._ _Not that he actually wastes much time cursing his luck for that, because, as the final fucking climax for the night, a_ _scorpion guy attacks Mason._

Liam is so fucking relieved that, after all, he put up with the shitty night so far, since it turned out that he has to play bodyguard, after all. He shields Mason and cast a very quick scowl at Brett.

"Fucking hell, Brett! You're a fucking werewolf, too, and I fucking told you that there was someone not human around, you idiot! _You've been a werewolf_ _for_ _longer than me and_ _didn't even see_ _a_ _fucking_ _threat! Idiot!"_

 _He busies himself facing the offender, trying to avoid being poisoned by a venom that he suspects being positively lethal. At some point, he has to stop mentally telling at Brett and focus on his fight, because the scorpion guy is very aggressive, and very close to overpower him._

And keeps going for Mason.

Liam launches himself at the guy, more likely on him, to drag him far from his best friend. He dodges poisoning sharp nails, and punches and snarls at him, and that's when he hears Mason's delighted squeal.

Because, the little fucker is not afraid,, not at all. His face is lit up with joy, _and_ _'oh my god, you're a werewolf!'._

 _Stupid idiot of a best friend._

Liam dodges a nasty punch, but to avoid another he gets kicked in the chest. He goes down on the floor, close to where Brett is already limping, an has been trying to get up for the pat few minutes.

Liam's head shots up again, dreadfully realizing that the scorpion guy is aiming at Mason again, and tries to push harder on his limbs to get up once more, but he knows he won't be able to shield his friend from those claws.

But, right then, look who's launching himself at the guy and sending him to the floor!

Scott confronts the scorpion guys, claws and fangs and red eyes. Kira is by his side, fury enveloping her with a mystic fire. Liam finally gets up, joining them, and he and Brett rush Mason in a safe corner. They shield him and go back to the fight, but that's when Liam realize that there is something really wrong with Kira.

She looks way too incensed by the fight, and like she is really going to kill the scorpion guy. Only Scott's alpha snarl stops her, and, by that time, their opponent is on the floor, barely conscious (barely alive), and is coughing up a silver substance.

The kitsune, who is now shivering but stands an looks around with the scared expression of someone who realized they have left the building for a few moments. Scott throw her a final glance, to which she replies nodding and pointing at the convulsing boy on the floor. Scott hunches over the silver mud, and frowns.

-It's like Tracy's. It's the same substance-

Kira stops shivering and leans closer to him: -You think they were made by the same person?-

-I guess- answers Scott, who then looks up at Liam.

The frown goes a bit softer: -You said you were going out, not that you were going to put yourself into trouble- he scolds him.

Liam smiles. He's so happy his alpha's here, and he's so happy Mason is safe, and that, after all, the night turns out less messy than it has been so far. Or, at least, he would be happy, if there wasn't a body on the floor, spitting and choking over some unknown, unnatural substance, and smelling like he is unfortunately not going to live past the night.

-I'm sorry- he murmurs back, kneeling down with Scott.

-Don't be- says Scott, and grabs at the shoulders of the barely alive boy: -Help me. We need to take him to Deaton, before it's too late-

Liam nods, and hurries to help his alpha, even though they both know that there is no hope left for the boy, whose body already reeks of death as if this mysterious liquid has been corroding him from the inside.

Unaware of the gravity of the situation, Mason chooses that right moment to fangirl and stifle out a laugh, smacking his hands together (Liam realizes he must also be a bit in shock), and, leaning closer and closer to Brett ( _what the hell, dude! You stupid dickhead were making out with my best friend and couldn't even point out you were being targeted by the scorpion crazy guy! Hell! If it wasn't for me, Mason would be dead!_ ) whispers excitedly: -You're werewolves! You're all werewolves! I knew it! I knew I was right!-

Yeah. Trust him to focus on the important things, right?

Liam's anger against Brett disappears in a flash, when Scott cast a worried glance to the pale face of the boy they are carrying.

-Really doesn't look good- he whispers.

Kira frowns as well, walking hurriedly by their side: -Is he dying?-

-I think so- Scott replies, staring to walk faster and faster: -Liam, let's go, hurry! Maybe Deaton can help him-

They even start running, and Liam can't help but wonder where the hell is Stiles with his jeep, when you need a lift. They make it to Deaton's clinic still quite soon, but it's already to late for the guy between them.

The good doctor visits him, even if they all know that the coughing and convulsing body has retched over his last drop of silver-like blood. His heart stops with a wet sound that makes Liam wonder if it as melted, too.

"What a way to die" he grimaces, feeling sorry for the boy, even if he had attacked him and his best friend.

The silver liquid has stopped oozing out from his mouth. Deaton pokes at it with a gloved finger, and frowns: -This doesn't look good- he mutters.

-That's what I thought- Liam softly utters back, wondering once again how he has become accustomed to being so close with dead bodies, in such a short time.

-Is it the same substance that Tracy was spitting?- Scott asks, his vice as soft as Deaton's and Liam's, as if in respect for the dead boy between them, who doesn't hear anything, anymore.

The vet nods:- Yes, it is. The person who is responsible for what happened to Tracy's body, is also responsible for the death of this boy. I must say... I really am shocked. Playing like this with young lives...- he stops and shakes his head.

Scott's is looking guilty at the body, and Liam wonders why.

 _You tried to save him. You saved me, man._

He realizes with a pang of shame hat he is jealous. Of a dead body, belonging to someone he didn't know, because his alpha is mourning over the loss of an unknown, random guy. How vile can that be?

He berates himself, and focuses on helping his alpha, instead of harboring such petty feelings.

-Scott- he calls at him, and the yes of his alpha snap over, locking into Liam's. He doesn't utter another word, and for a moment he just stares at him, with his alpha staring back.

It works.

Scott exhales, his shoulders relax, and he shakes his head. His expression is now less 'it's my fault', and more 'I' sorry'. Liam feels satisfied with that: normal mourning in front of dead people is ok. He can't prevent his alpha from feeling sympathetic. He wasn't aiming at that. He just wanted to shift his mourning from something unhealthy for Scott, into something normal.

-You're right- Scott murmurs, and Liam feels the corners of his own mouth sliding upwards. They didn't speak, but, apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt like a muted conversation went on.

Scott frowns again, turning once more to the doctor.

-I think something is happening to Kira- he says, and tells him about what happened to the young kitsune when she went all samurai on the scorpion guy, speaking Japanese, when she doesn't know a word of it.

-Any clue of what is happening to her, too?- Scott asks, but the good doctor shakes his head once more: -I wish I knew, Scott-

 _We wish that too_ , thinks Liam.

 _We wish that too._


	8. Chapter 8

Liam is not famous for being the brain of the group, but, so far, he has elaborated a plan to judge when a situation is good, or not. Whenever people starts dying, it's never a good thing.

Unless the one who dies is the crazy, serial-killer maniac, who is trying to slaughter you with a butcher's knife. But, generally, he thinks it's safe to assume that, in any other situations, death is not a good thing.

So much for saying that it's 'never' a good thing, his brain provides him the very vivid, eerily detailed sequence of a crazy serial killer, trying to kill Liam, who accidentally stumbles in his haste to get his prey, and slaughters open his own throat.

That would be the very case of a not negative death.

See? 'Never' is such a strong word, that must be used with caution. Like smoking. Well, actually, smoking kills you period, not only if you do it cautiously or not, but, in general, another thing that Liam has learned so far, is to refrain from using 'never' as much as possible.

Particularly so, because nature is a terribly ironic bitch and, just to prove you wrong, is very likely to create whatever supernatural abomination just to confute your belief, and any 'never' statement you might have said. And, because nature is a real bitch, generally the aforementioned abominations usually are dead-set on killing you, or attempting to epically fucking up your life.

Avoiding 'never' statements has seriously become a matter of life and death.

"Or, death and survival" Liam thinks more precisely, still hunched over a hole in the ground.

He breathes with his mouth open to not let the stench of dirt and blood assault his poor nose. It's barely morning, after all, and he really, really does not want to start his day by retching his whole stomach out.

Apparently, running should have also not entered the list of good things to start his day with. Look what it brought him. Hadn't it been for this stupid idea, he wouldn't be dealing with some other crazy shit.

Ok, to be honest, this is far from crazy. Too much, at least. It's not normal, that he can admit with no problem, but he isn't being threatened by the giant pool of blood, a few meters under him. Beside the fact that it's seriously getting hard to breath in air, and let the smell out.

"Hello Liam, here's your brain speaking. The forecast for the day are: wet, if you touch the blood pooling here and there, and a loud "SBAM" when your face hits the ground, if you step ahead and fall down into the open, freshly dug hole. Also, sunny for the rest of the afternoon, with maybe some clouds in the late evening" he muses to himself.

Then he shakes his head. Being around Lydia and Stiles (but mostly Stiles) is affecting his health. Scott might have transformed him into a supernatural creature by biting him, but Stiles is making Liam a _sarcastic_ person. That's way more lethal. Deadly, no cure, and the absolute certainty to make a fool out of himself, because he can't _use_ sarcasm, even if his brain is apparently attempting to.

Thank god nobody is around to see, or to listen.

"Oh, wow, when did I start speaking with myself like a freaking psycho?"

Just to be safe, he takes a step back. He would definitely not like falling off into some mysterious hole dug in the dirt, that he can be sure of.

He sighs, fishing out his phone from his pocket. He snaps a few pictures, send them to the chat group of the pack, adding a sarcastic (again!) 'good morning' to the image. From one side, he's happy to notice that this tiny bit of sarcasm, he can manage. From the other, he is really pissed off to be always the designated discoverer of anything deadly and weird that, recently, happens in Beacon Hills.

Seriously, what's wrong with him? Wasn't Lydia the banshee who attracts all the weird things?

Maybe he should have joined Mason for an early start in school, and waste his nice morning reading his friend's chemistry note for their next test. It didn't sound so much a good idea, but he can admit now that, well. It was better than running, and running into new weird stuff.

But he wanted to run so badly, to just be free to go werewolf-speed with no one noticing, that he really, really would have never thought he'd run into this.

Then he realizes it. This is his own fault. He clearly has called this fate upon himself, by thinking that, really, he'd 'never' thought anything weird could happen while running.

The 'never' rule. He should have stuck to it.

"Fuck you, nature. Fuck you, for ruining my beautiful morning run".

And for giving him dead bodies, first thing in this beautiful morning.

Well, that's not totally right. There is blood, a shitload of it, but he doesn't smell the rotten flesh that usually accompanies that much blood. It would be safe to assume that someone died here, must have bled out, but he doesn't smell the flesh. And if it's still too early for it to have gone rotten, he still doesn't smell someone. The scents in the air mingle with the crispy morning and forest smells, so he can't pinpoint anything that gives a sure proof of a body, down there.

He bends down again. Actually, the pools are big, and still fresh enough for the spilling to be recent, but he can't be sure that someone has been killed here. He hasn't much experience on slaughtering people, but, thinking more rationally, he guesses that a real slaughter would entail way more blood.

"Why am I so fixed on the slaughtering? Too many horror movie for the week?" he questions himself, still checking on his phone to wait for an answer from the pack.

He quirks up a smirk. The girls' first reaction is along the line of, 'gah, Liam, gross'.

He thought as much, he replies.

Stiles is the first one to have a more focused reaction, and asks where Liam is, telling him to remember not to touch anything, not stepping into blood poles nearby (that Liam admits he almost did), and, in general, suggests he calls the police.

Lydia texts against the last thing.

Stiles agrees, and asks Liam if there is something supernatural going on. "Give it a good sniff", the human actually suggests, and for a moment Liam wonders if he should feel offended. But then again, Stiles usually uses Lydia as a walking detector, so, he guesses he has no right for taking on the role, for once.

Scott texts and asks if Liam is fine, if he is safe, if there are threats around him.

Liam can't help the tiny, idiotic smile that stretches on his lips, and blushes.

Then he scolds himself and tries one last time to assess the level of the supernatural in the air.

 _I don't feel anything supernatural. But, I smell metal, and I don't see any of it,_ he texts the pack.

 _Metal?_ Asks Malia, and Liam can imagine her frowning: _what do you mean, metal?_

 _Like, liquid metal, or a solid piece of metal? Any chance you can specify the elements, too?_ Inquires Lydia, more specifically.

 _Deaton said Tracy was spitting Mercury..._ Reminds them Stiles: _Liam, are you smelling mercury?_

 _Uh, I'm not sure I know the smell of it. Could be, I guess, but it's very faint. I might be wrong, there are so many scents in here, maybe it's not even metal at all..._ He admits, then fidgets on his place: _So, what do I do?  
_

 _Get away from there_ IS the simultaneous answer from both Scott and Stiles: _And let's meet soon A_ dds Scott.

Morning meeting of the pack, against morning chemistry studying, against morning run. Seriously? Are these the only choices he can have? Fuck you, nature, fuck you for real.

 _Let's meet in school. If we rush there, we can find a room and talk privately there. There is still an hour before classes start, today. S_ uggests the smartest banshee ever, Lydia.

 _And be deprived of the helpful presence of my board? I don't think so. Come over at mine, people. I can drive you to school after with my jeep, and anyway, at least in that case we wouldn't have to worry about people hearing something they shouldn't. And, my dad is going to be busy, anyway, considered the recent events._ Replies Stiles.

Liam is suddenly very happy that today school starts later. It should do it more often.

Then again, maybe not, If he were in school, he wouldn't have found a dead body. Or blood pools.

Stiles keeps texting, telling Liam to leave the place, and that he is alerting his dad over breakfast, at that very moment. The Sheriff suggests that Liam takes an eye out for not running into the patrol sent there, and that he, in general refrains from doing anything that would look suspicious. _  
_

Like, speeding at inhuman speed to Stiles' place.

"Ooops, guess I should have read it sooner!" he thinks, cheekily grinning from the inside.

He knows it's stupid to risk it just like that, but, seriously. He has wanted to run, to _really run_ , all week, and was supposed to be able to finally do it this morning. It's not his fault that his refreshing run has been interrupted by mysterious discoveries. He still needs to, and he is a teen ager. He must satisfy this kind of needs.

He immediately blushes a very vivid shade of red, and, even if he is completely alone in the middle of the street, he covers his whole face with his hands.

Because that has clearly reminded him of something else. Something that he still can't explain, ad that had involved him and his alpha.

"Oh god, why did I have to remember that?" he cringes.

He was so happy that he finally managed to suppress the memory, and, here it goes again.

He sighs, lowering his hands and trying to reign in the trembles that is slightly shaking him. He is almost at the Sheriff's house, and needs to calm down, if he doesn't want to let the others know that something is wrong with him.

Especially considered that he doesn't know what is wrong with him.

He shakes his head and jogs the rest of his way. He wonders if he will have the time to go back and shower too, before going to class. He smirks again, remembering how supremely pissed off the janitor and headmaster have been, the previous afternoon, when they found out that the pipes in the gym's locker room were completely busted. With water dipping everywhere and threatening to submerge the rest of the school as well, they didn't have any other choice but to postpone the starting of the next school day.

Needless to say, he students appreciated the mysterious pipes-buster's actions, and were all happy to be told they could sleep in the next day. Not like having the whole day off, but better than nothing.

Liam, who has a very solid suspect about who is the genius behind this, is now very happy for the spare time they are given.

But, then again, if he hadn't had it, he wouldn't have found out the blood.

He finally reaches the desired house, and goes to knock on the front door. He hears Malia telling Stiles that it's Liam knocking, but the human still reaches for a window and tells him to come in. He has a bit of a hard time explaining his were-coyote girlfriend that it's not that he doubted her nose, but just a human habit.

Liam smirks and shakes his head.

 _Women_.

He almost pushes the front door open, but then he stops, turns, grins, and jumps up.

He shouldn't, he really shouldn't have, but he can't help it: sometimes, he adores being a werewolf. He tries to argue with his own inner scolding that he has checked, nobody was around there was no way someone might have seen him. And anyway, ok, a guy jumping up a window like that would look weird, but not supernaturally so.

Still, this is the Sheriff's house, and maybe he shouldn't have.

Oh well. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

He pushes the window open and slides himself in. He can hear he sounds of the voices of almost everyone of the pack, but he quickly realizes hat, either Kira hasn't said a word so far, or she's missing. He frowns, and checks on his phone. She is also the only one who hasn't said a word on the chat group, after Liam sent those pictures.

He wonders if she is alright.

He senses nervousness in the air, and quickly reaches Stiles' room door handle. He gets in, closing the door right behind himself, and murmurs a tense hello. The pack greets him back, and Scott fixes Liam with a glare.

'I know what you did' is what that particular looks is saying, but Liam decides to play innocent, and just smiles to his alpha.

A very unwelcome (well, generally welcome, but not in this specific situation) wave of heat stirs in his stomach and moves up and down, threatening to assault him, but then settling down again. Liam swallows nervously, recognizing the desire to be closer to his alpha and to possibly even touch him. His mind, or his wolf, or possibly both, has a very terrible timing too, and points out imbecile things like, has Liam noticed yet how mouthwatering does Scott look today?

For some divine intervention (no other explanation is available, really), nobody in the pack notices his hormones moving. Well, which means that Malia doesn't. The only other werewolf in the room is Scott, and he looks like he noticed alright. He is still looking at Liam very sternly, by the way, and that's unnerving the blond beta more and more.

-I didn't hear you opening the door- The alpha points out, almost accusingly, and he doesn't need to add that, if that happened, it's obviously because Liam hasn't used the door at all.

Stiles' head leashes up from the paper he was shuffling with on the table: -Seriously? You jumped?- he asks, positively annoyed and a tiny bit frustrated.

Liam shakes his shoulder, trying to be casual and sound reasonable: -I checked, nobody in sight- he argues but this doesn't calm Stiles at all.

-Are you mad? Boy! What if someone has seen you, even if you haven't see them back! And, in my house! The sheriff's house! I know you're not particularly brilliant, but, are you ever using the brain you must have forgotten you have under that blond hair of yours?!-

Yep, Stiles is definitely nervous.

-Oh,come on Stiles, calm down, I told you I was sure nobody saw me- he utters back, frowning. He knows he didn't really make a smart move, but he doesn't like being targeted like that. Being Stiles' wit's most frequent target is always a bit frustrating and intimidating, but he really has no intention to be showered wit witty comments and sarcasm, first thing in the morning.

Even if technically the first thing that he has done this morning had been finding the holes...

Scott raises his hand, and Liam can't do nothing to contrast the look he is being given. Not when his alpha looks so damn good. Not when he has remembered, barely ten minutes before, what those hands did to him. Not in general, when his alpha wants him to shut up and admit defeat.

-Stiles is right, and you know it- Scott says, and Liam's resolve crumbles.

He sighs, his pride hurt. What is he supposed to do? Apologize to Mom Stiles?

He doesn't like it, but he still caves in, because his alpha commands so.

-Sorry Stiles, I won't do it again-

Stiles shakes his head, still annoyed, but understanding what the young beta feels. He is only human, he has no supernatural sensor to understand what's going on in other people's mind, but he still is quite good with his own head. And he knows Liam couldn't take itif he rubbed it in any further than that.

-Never mind- he sighs, and then adds, in a more calm and condescending tone that sometimes it's even more angering tha his sarcastic replies: -You should pay more attention. You can't know if there are hunters, nearby. Just because we were buddies with the last that came into town, it doesn't mean there aren't others. And I doubt we will be in friendly terms with every hunters in Beacon Hills. You need to be careful-

The mention of 'hunters' empties Liam of any will to reply, and for different reasons. First, it's actually a very valid point, that Liam himself too often, and dangerously so, forget. Second, because, as soon as the word has left Stiles' mouth, Scott's and Lydia's faces tense and go slightly paler. Stiles himself looks a little taken aback that he has just uttered it, and at the same time Liam can see his mind pointing out that he s right, that hunters are, indeed, a threat for them, and that, whatever bad memories is associated with them, the threat is still far from smaller. voice too trembles a bit.

Liam doesn't reply. He doesn't really know why every time someone mentions hunters, his pack reacts this way. Malia seems to be in his same situation of not knowing, but she must be able to smell their packmates' sent to know that she shouldn't ask. Still, Liam wishes he'd know the story behind the hurt reaction the word often provokes.

He says again he'll be more careful in the future, and is very thankful to Lydia, when the banshee moves them to another topic of discussion: -We've got another problem, now- she states, and looks pointedly at Scott and Stiles: -So far, we had to deal with four mysterious attackers. We don't know who they are, we don't know what they want or where they came from, but we know they aren't.. well, weren't- (she smirks, an Liam finds it a bit creepy): -friendly- she sums up.

Liam is happy to notice that, so far, he's got everything under control. Meaning that he knows what they are talking about.

Stiles nods, and takes the lead, as the banshee passes him the turn to speak: - What we didn't know so far, and now do, is that these four people were all Chimeras- he explains, his tone calm and steady, the one he uses to clarify stuff to the pack.

The only one lifting an eyebrow is Liam, as he's the only one who doesn't know what the word "Chimeras" means.

-What's a Chimera?- he can't help but ask.

-A Chimera is an organism where more bodies coexist. In the myth, the Chimera was a monster that was, at the same time, goat, lion, snake and dog. It had more than one heads, and could bite, as a snake, tear its preys, as a lion, and it had horns like a goat- he human explains patiently, and Liam notices that Malia frowns.

"So I wasn't the only one not knowing..."

-Aside from the myth- Lydia speaks up again: - what we need to focus on, is that this people were not born Chimeras, they were made. They were once human, just like any of us, and were infected with something that changed their DNA. They are called this way because they don't exist in nature. They are artificial creatures, whose powers can vary, according to ow the DNA is infected. Tracy, for instance- she looks at each of them, like she was giving a lecture: -we initially assumes she was a werewolf, but we found out she was a kanima-

Liam notices her voice trembles just a bit, when she says it, and he realizes that that is another something he should really ask to know, one day.

-So, someone made them?- asks Liam: -Like.. the Doctors Tracy spoke about?-

-Precisely. You see? Brain. It's what you've just used- says Stiles wittingly.

Liam sneers at him, and Scott scolds both, silencing them with a glare: -The thing is, we don't even know anything about these Doctors either. We just know that they put together new supernatural creatures by infecting, n some mysterious way, random human people-

-Actually- Lydia pipes in: -we now a bit more than that, We know that they do it. surgically, let's say. I have seen, and way too many time by now, the inside of a lab. I think it's where they create the Chimeras, and where they infect them-

-Also- adds Stiles: -something else that we know, is that these Doctors aren't really good at experimenting, because the Chimeras they have created so far are all dead. And not because we killed them-

Which reminds all of them that Kira almost beheaded the scorpion guy.

Once again, Liam wonders where the kitsune is.

-Whatever they infect people with, it must be something that the human body can't sustain. It... well- his eyebrows go up and now, and he sighs faintly: -it melts heir bodies from within. Which is a terrible way to die, and another reason to stop these bastards-

-We must stop them- Scott points out to everybody: - We need to know more on how they infect people- he states: -Also, there is no way to know in which way the body was infected, because, as if in the case of a werewolf bite, any scar left from the transformation process is reabsorbed. Deaton found traces on Tracy's and Lucas' bodies, but they disappeared after they've transformed-

-Like the bite- Liam murmurs, and Scott nods.

-Exactly. You can't see it anymore-

 _No, but I can still feel it, whenever you're too close and I feel THAT thing we still don't know about._

He swallows, and keeps silent.

-We need to find out if they are targeting people from a specific group, or they attack really randomly- Stiles voices out.

-And where they do it. The medical lab that I have seen in my visions is real, so, it must be somewhere- Lydia adds: -they wouldn't be able to practice surgery out in the open. Even if they just... inject people, they need a place where they can hold their victim. And possibly where they can discard the bodies easily, if things go wrong-

-You mean, if people die on them, too soon- Malia clarifies, and Lydia nods, grimacing

Stiles frown, but it is Scott the one actually voicing their shared doubt: -Did you see anything else that might be useful?-

Lydia imperceptibly pales.

 _Oh, yeah, she did._

-I'm not sure. Maybe. I told you, I have seen a medical lab, but it's nothing fancy. It's just a very dirty room, with medical sets that, more than for surgery, I'd expect to see used in a dentist's studio-

Liam promises himself to take god care of his teeth, just in case.

Malia smirks: -You didn't happen to see the next person they're going to take, did ya?-

Lydia pales a bit more, but she pretends she's not, and presses her lips together, so much that, wasn't it for the shiny red lipstick, they would be white. She can't have seen the next target, or she would tell them, but it's obvious that she has seen something, and Liam can bet it wasn't a pleasant sight: -No, I'm sorry-

The were-coyote barely notices the discomfort she has put Lydia in, with her brash-character and too many years spent in he animal form, but she nods ayway: -Well, still better than knowing nothing-

-Where's Kira, by the way?- asks Liam, not being able to keep quiet on that any longer.

Scott frowns again and Liam immediately wonders if, maybe, he should have kept his mouth shut: -I don't know what's happening to her. I've talked to her mother about what she almost did the other night, or that she has started speaking Japanese in her sleep, even if she doesn't speak Japanese...-

Liam nods, because he vividly remembers Kira going all ninja on the scorpion-guy, and almost killing him. And that was so not Kira-like. Kira is always gentle and kind, much like Scott, actually.

-Well- Scott sighs:-her mother said it was a serious issue. According to her, Kira's 'demonic side', which are her words, not mine- and he's making air quotes sign with his fingers: -the kitsune, is going out of control. She plans on taking Kira to Japan for a while, to figure out why things are slipping past her control, and to help her figure out another way to deal with this side of her- he explains.

\- Personally, I'm very...- he goes on, gesticulation and looking at Stiles for a suggestion for a word he can't find by himself.

-Relieved?- suggests Stiles, and Scott nods.

-Yes, relieved. Thanks Stiles-

Malia nods and chews on her lip: -Well, at least she's got a mother who's going to help her- she murmurs.

Ah, right, Malia was looking for news about her real mother with Stiles, if Liam remembers correctly.

Stiles looks concernedly at his girlfriend, who just shakes her shoulder and smiles: -So, what do we do, exactly? What's the plan?-

Strong girl. Terribly coarse, sometimes (most of the times), but a strong girl nonetheless.

Lydia steps in the middle of the room, right under the board where Stiles notes down every strange, unusual happening: -We must find out what type of person the Doctors want- she says, with a distant voice.

Everybody looks at her, but she doesn't look like she is seeing something, or hearing voices. Liam frowns and looks at Scott, whose eyes are fixed on the young banshee. Stiles' are pointedly looking at her, too

-Lyd- calls Stiles: -Lydia, do you see anything? Hear anything?-

Lydia turns, so fast Liam wonders how can she not trip over herself. Her gaze is eerily empty, almost glassy, and for a moment Liam is a bit afraid of looking at those eyes. She does look like she is trying to hear something out f her reach, now, and Liam can't help grimacing.

 _Please, don't be the voice of a dead person,_ Liam prays, because he's quite tired to go looking for dead bodies. People would like to live too, he assumes.

Lydia's eyes move around the room, but then she shakes her head and her eyes go back to their usual bright green.

-No, I'm sorry. There was something- she admits:-but I couldn't understand what it was. Not yet, at least. But this reminds me.. I've found out something, during my researches in the last days. This is not the first time the Doctors have been in Beacon Hills. And I think it was the Nemeton calling them, both the first time, and the present-

Oh, "Nemeton", that name Liam knows what stands for, it's the creepy, dead, cut down tree in the middle of the woods.

Stiles scoffs at the mention: -Oh, joy. How I love that tree-

-Yeah, me too- Scott grimaces as well.

-As much as I am quite annoyed with it, too, boys, you didn't follow. That's not what I wanted you to focus on- Lydia goes on: -They have already been here, some years ago, and were called by the Nemeton- she repeats.

Blank stares look at her and she scoffs: -Who was taking care of the Nemeton and of any events related to that goddamn tree, some years ago?-

Perhaps it's the swearing that triggers the realization, because she doesn't swear often, but that makes everybody's brain spin faster, and Malia makes a tiny 'oh' sound, before asking: -You mean the Hales?-

-Precisely- states Lydia with a satisfied look: -Now, we can't really go and ask Peter about what happened last time- she goes on, pointedly stressing on the negation. Liam doesn't know why there is so much bad blood in particular between the banshee and Malia's father, but he isn't much of a fan of the man, either. Nobody is

-Guess who's the other Hale we can call? The one currently in Mexico with a werewolf sister?- Lydia asks.

This triggers different reactions in the pack. Stiles groans faintly, but he lets out a tiny smile, nodding. Scott grins happily for a moment, and then tries to go back to being serious. Malia smirks, and Liam smiles too, verbally announcing what everybody has already figured out.

-Derek!- Liam exclaims, the perspective of calling the wise and sarcastic once-alpha-then-mainly-beta back both enticing and comforting: -We're calling him back? Really?-

Stiles' expression is weird. He smiles, but there is a glint of something in his eyes that looks odd. It looks like guilt, and he can't figure out why the human would feel guilty at the idea of asking Derek for help.

-We aren't telling him to come back- Lydia points out: -but we need to call him and ask him about the Doctors. Maybe he knows someting. And then, if he decides to go back to Beacon Hills and help us.. well, all the best, then- she reasons.

-Oh, man- Stiles murmurs, and Liam can feel the heart of the only human of the pack beat unsteadily, faltering, faster now, then back to a normal pace, and he tries not to frown. Malia must have felt it too, and inquires her boyfriend about it.

-What's gotten into you?- she asks her boyfriend.

Stiles opens her mouth, but Lydia replies for him: -Joy. That's Stiles' face for joy-

Her lips are still pressed together, which leads Liam to suspect she's sarcastic: -Are you being ironic?-

Lydia lets out a long breath: -Whenever we interact with Derek, it's always because we're in trouble- she explains: -I'd love to have him back for some back up, but, if he'd showed u, that would mean that we're in deep trouble- she admits.

-Well, we are calling him, but he might not come here- Malia points out, shaking her shoulders.

-Oh, I'm sure he will- Scott claims: -We just need to tell him we're in trouble, and he'll be back. Calling us a bunch of idiots for notdealing with this by ourselves, but he will-

Liam chuckles: -Yep, that does sound a lot like Derek-

Scott fishes his phone out from his jeans' pocket: -I wished I could call him for a better reason- he confesses, and then starts typing.

-Call him, man, don't text him- suggests Stiles: -We'd better explain him all the situation-

And Scott hits call.


	9. Chapter 9

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. As always, please do remember I'm not writing in my mother tongue, so, should you see any miss-taping, mistake, something that just doesn't ring, tell me. Be aware, again, of free indirect speech/thoughts, and that the narration goes through Liam's point of view, even if its a third person narrator. As a general rule, whenever in the whole story something doesn't logically work, try to interpret it as personal opinion instead of a narrative, 100% sure statement. Also, italics is for thoughts (direct thinking) or emphasis, but that should be quite easy to distinguish the two.

Cheers!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

-Wait, wait, _wait._ You're telling me that the reason you asked me to come back to this Godforsaken city, which I was so glad I finally managed to leave, is because you don't know how to solve this problem? Chimeras, really?!-

Derek's gaze is intense, as Liam notices. Intense, hard, yellow sparkling behind the normal green, and he is _so_ glad he's not the one receiving it. At the other side of the stare, in fact, there is Scott, who doesn't really look like he's much bothered by the ex-alpha's fury. He actually seems to be quite used to listen to the guy's angry speech.

Derek is fuming.

Liam wonders why he's so mad, but then realizes that, after leaving Beacon Hills, he must have thought he could start over with a normal life, or the closer he could get to the usual meaning of "normal life". Instead, he's been asked to come back here, the city where he lost a family, house, friends, pack, and, but that's only Liam supposing, because he doesn't really know for sure, some girl.

Derek bites his lower lip, refraining himself from landing to actual screams, and tries to regain control, both over his temper and voice. He hides his eyes behind his palm for a few seconds, and when the hand is wiped away, the eyes are back to green, a vivid one, but the pale, usual type of green. How is it possible that they are _vividly_ green and _pale_ green at the same time, Liam has yet to understand. Not that that's going to be a topic he's going to bring up, especially under similar occurrence. He still wants to live, and he has the slight impression Derek would kill him for interrupting the serious discussion with such a trivial matter. And also Stiles, possibly. The guy has a scowl that can rival Derek's, at the moment, and _that_ really is strange, because Stiles has somehow managed to stay out of the whole conversation, up to now. And Liam can't understand where the scowl comes from.

Liam bites lightly at the inner of his cheek, and keeps watching at the scene, Derek speaking with Scott, ex-alpha and actual-alpha in the middle of the circle the pack forms. Stiles is leaning on the table, almost sitting on top of that, right behind Scott, and he's the second person Derek's gaze is being directed to. And, he managed to shut up the whole time, though.

 _Now, that's impressive._

Liam is close to Stiles, but keeps a bit more distance both to Stiles and Scott, and to Derek. He's leaning against the wall, arms crossed, folded on his chest, and just looks. He's the youngest of them all, no point in getting in the mess when the grown-ups are still bickering. Or trying to rip their heads off. Lydia, instead, is properly sitting at the feet of Stiles' bed, Malia beside her, the banshee with legs graciously crossed and unreadable face, the werecoyote with knees propped up to her chin, arm hugging them close, and an expression of clear annoyance. She likes Derek, but it's obvious she doesn't see the point in this almost-yelling. Kira, well, she's not there, as her mother took her who knows where, and they are trying to help her regain control over her own kitsune-side. Even with only her missing, the pack feels so smaller, Liam thinks. It's not a feeling he likes. Even if that means he and Scott get to stay close, and have more chance to...

 _No, head, no, bad thoughts. Shut the hell up, head._

Derek is in between the wall where Stiles and the table are, and the two girls on the bed, Scott right in front of him, and, _wow,_ doesn't this look like a serious confrontation. Like he's going to take all them down, as they were his enemy. The guy surely manages to pull the aggressive look, when he wants.

Derek sighs, and lets his hands ran through his short hair, closes his eyes for a second, two, three, then goes back looking at Scott. No, beyond Scott, he's looking to Stiles, gritting his teeth, and Stiles makes a lopsided smile, almost a smirk, and Derek's eyes avert from him and go back to Scott. Like he's being stung, or burned.

 _What the hell?_

-Damn- exhales Derek, his hands on his sides: -aren't you screwed- he mutters.

Stiles' head perks up: -Screwed? Why? Why now? We're used in being life-threatened, up to now. Why are we so much in trouble, compared to the past?-

He's not babbling, Liam notices. He looks like he's rambling as usual, but he's not.

Derek sighs again: -Chimeras are something you don't often hear people talking about. I have only caught some rumors, when I was a kid, and I remember my mother was seriously worried these Chimeras could come to Beacon Hills. Which, as you told me, they apparently have already done.-

-You really don't know about them being here?- asks Lydia, head cocking to the side.

Derek shakes his head: -No, honestly, no. I remember they were a threat, I remember my mother speaking with other alphas in order to bring out some plan, but I was too young to get more into the topic. And when I say younger, I seriously mean younger, I was probably in primary school-

Stiles folds his arms on his chest, as Liam: -So, you don't remember anything, and you don't know anything-

-That's not what I'm saying- Derek's stare is hard, his broad shoulders stretched out like he wants to affirm his presence more firmly: -I know about them-

-I'm sorry, I thought you just said you don't get to hear much of them- Stiles retorts.

-That's a general statement. You generally, usually don't hear often about them, and I said it as an excuse for _you_ , bunch of teenagers, who don't know shit about Chimeras- Derek states back, his eyes burning into Stiles', and, _woah_ , Liam really doesn't remember being all this tension between the two.

The look Derek's giving to the human resembles one someone would give before starting a good fight, and Stiles' stare is getting as hard as Derek's. Scott and the girls must be feeling the tension too, because Scott holds up an hand in the air, between Stiles and Derek line of sight, and ask for peace with a simple "Hey, guys, calm down".

Yeah, their eyes don't go that much softer, but, still, he tried.

-So, do you know something?- asks Scott, again: -What do you know? Can you help us?-

-I'm here, aren't I?- Derek says, calm but firm, looking straight at Scott's face: -I'm going to help you-

-Well, thanks- cheers Malia, lifting her feet in the air and then hitting the floor with the heels of her boots: -So, what do you know?-

Some of the tension gets dissipated by the simple act.

Liam's arms ache, and he shoves his hands in his pockets, crossing his legs at his ankles.

-Well, I found out, well, we found out, Braeden, me and Cora, that they like messing up with werewolves. Or, just with whoever has some supernatural power. They must have some goal to do so, that it's obvious, otherwise I don't think they would pull such a thing just for fun. Unfortunately, I have no fucking clue what this goal is. I just know they chase down everyone with power, and play doctor with them- he looks at Scott, and also at Stiles, behind Scott's shoulders.

Stiles is still, serious, and holds his gaze. Derek, again, averts his eyes and turns to the girls, meeting Malia's normally blue eyes.

That color is a quite striking resemblance to her real father, Liam thinks. The one and only the girl has. And, for what he remembers of Peter, that's not so bad.

-They hunted us down. It's not that they gave us any chance to ask them what their plan was with us, but I bet it was killing us, just like they did with the others they kidnapped. Braeden- he stops, imperceptibly gulps and: -she was killed. Plainly, normally, quickly killed, not in some twisted, sick ways, not because of some ritual... Anything like that. I suppose she just was in their way. They want supernatural creatures, and she was a mere human. So, human- and he holds a finger in the air, counting: -In their way- second finger up: -Two reasons apparently were enough for them to kill her-

Stiles gulps, and so do Scott and Lydia and Malia.

-I'm sorry- Scott says, in a serious, but still Scott-like voice, the one who says "I understand you're suffering and I'm so sorry about it, and I wish I could do more to help you".

Derek used to hate it, Liam remembers. He might as well get used to it, again, though. Maybe he already has, or maybe he appreciates Scott's sympathy, this time, considering his calm reaction, eyes not rolling, no smart comment, no snarl, nothing. He and Braeden were close. They sure fucked, but Liam doesn't know if they were romantically involved, or something. Derek doesn't look like someone who would fall in love, though, and not with some soldier-girl as Braeden. Even if they looked a tough couple of hunters, with leather jackets and guns, and the bikes and Derek's black Camaro.

-What happened to you and Cora?- asks Lydia, voice a bit soft.

-We tried to run, but they always seemed to find us. In the end we had to split, and parting ways actually worked. They didn't find her, or, they hadn't yet, but she managed to reach a big pack in Mexico. She's gonna be safe there, now, so, even if they has found out where she is, they can't lay a finger on them- he adds the last bit with obvious fraternal care.

Lydia nods: -So, what you know is basically that they want supernaturally powerful people- states, and Derek nods: -you don't happen to know, for instance, what they do with such people, and how they create new Chimera exemplars?-

-I do- Derek answers: -Braeden found out their headquarter was right under a famous club. They selected random people, who disappeared for some days, and were released after a short period, like, say, a week. Once the kidnapped people came back, they seemed fine, seemed they were alright, and of course they didn't remember a thing. But in the next few days, hours even, it always became obvious they had been infected with some... Virus, let's say, that transformed them into monsters. Not even "creatures", but plain monsters. Absurdities that nature has yet to conceive- he explains.

-A club? Why were the doctors based under a club?- inquires Stiles, frowning and making a face: -that's just odd, as a place where to keep a secret lab-

-Well, I agree on that one- Derek admits.

-What kind of club was it?- Lydia asks again: - the crowded type?-

-Well, yes. There was a lot of people, usually. Still is- Derek replies.

-So, maybe the club was a good place to go looking for people. Like, when you go grocery shopping- Stiles suggest, smirking but serious.

-Well, as morbid as the image is, I think it is just like that- Lydia agrees, nodding: -was this a recently opened one, or.. ?-

-Yes. Well, moderately yes. The club opened four months ago, but it was only after three that people started disappearing, and reappearing as Chimeras. As if they needed one month to test the environment, and the people. Humans, and non-

-Makes sense- Stiles nods.

Liam frowns, thinking.

A secret lab under a club?

How is that making any sense?

Why would someone build a secret, evil lab for nasty, evil plans under a club?

 _Wait, a recently opened club?_

Liam frowns deeper: the Sinema was opened quite recently, wasn't it?

Mason couldn't keep his mouth shut about it. When did he start speaking about that place, two months ago? And, the Chimeras have already started attacking customers, as it happened when Liam was there, and his best friend got almost killed.

 _But, seriously, a lab under a club? And if that's the Doctors' working scheme, it's quite repetitive, isn't it? Wouldn't it be safer for them to introduce a bit of a variation in their doing?_

-Is there any recently opened club here in Beacon Hills?- asks Derek.

-Yes- answers Liam, stepping in: -and it's the one where we already stopped a Chimera from assaulting someone-

-Really?- Asks Malia, frowning.

-Did we?- Remarks Stiles.

-You mean the Sinema, right?- Scott asks, pointing a finger in his beta's direction: -where your friend was... and the scorpion guy... and... what's his name, Brad?-

-Brett- Liam answers, teeth clenched. Yes, Brett who was snogging Mason but couldn't protect him. _Stupid dickhead_.

-You really think they have a lab under that place?- Stiles' voice is skeptical, but not that much: -wouldn't that be a bit risky, for them, to just do the very same thing, wherever they go? Follow the same plan?-

-Well- Derek shakes his shoulders: -It's not like they've ever been defeated, you know, or even challenged. They wouldn't have to mind opponents. They never had, they just had to track their preys, when they were aware of the situation and started running away-

-Yes, apparently, they do not have to think about opponents- Agrees Lydia, empty stare.

Several eyes notice her blank expression and the tension fills the air.

But then she looks up at Derek, bright green eyes well focused, and the eyes relax, as well as many shoulders.

-How do we find out?- Asks Liam: -How do we know if they're down there, or not?-

-I don't think we can sneak in. it would be dangerous- Scott answers: -Maybe they are not afraid of being followed or attacked, but they must have someone, or something, to guard their lab. If we go down there, without knowing what there actually is, it might get nasty. We could also find out they have the lab somewhere else-

-What if we sneak in?- Asks Liam, and, seeing Stiles's stare of "are you stupid? Haven't you heard Scott just saying that's the dumbest plan?", quickly adds: -But, not in that way. What if we... - he cocks an eyebrow: -I don't know, infiltrate in the club and ask, or just look where customers aren't allowed to go? With a valid reason to be there, in case we got caught. So, they wouldn't be sure we are spying on them-

-I'm not sure that will work, Liam- Stiles points out, pondering upon the idea: -But, I must give you credit for that, because it's not an entirely bad idea. After all, there _is_ people working there... People we know, _normal_ people we know, that we could ask- And he looks straight to Liam's face.

And he means Liam's crazy ex.

 _Oh, shit._

Liam grimaces: -Well, I can ask Hayden, I suppose-

-And, what- Derek cuts in: -what is he supposed to ask? "Sorry, do you know if there is a secret lab under the club you work at"? Doesn't really sound that good to me-

Stiles scoffs, but Scott interrupts him from saying some witty remark: -We could start asking her what she knows. Maybe that place really looks weird, even for a human, and she'd noticed something off. Maybe she has even found out something. We can't know if we don't try. Liam, ask her. Subtly, don't get her to understand there is something you want to find out abut that place. We don't want her starting searching the club looking for weirdness, if she hasn't already got suspicious-

-And, in the meantime, what do we do?- Malia asks, stretching again her long legs.

Scott looks at the ceiling: -Well, if we find someone else we know they work there, we ask, whoever they are. Plus, the more we find about the place, the better, so, history, when was the building bought, built, anything like that-

-We don't even know for sure it's the lab- Lydia points out: -Are you sure we need to focus that much on that club?-

-Well- Scott looks at her pointedly: -I don't want to sound rude, but, that's what I'm supposed to ask _you_. You're the one who could tell us if we are wasting time, or there are leads for the club. You keep... well- he scoffs: -I know you're not a radar device, but... stay tuned on the voices, the signs, whatever you think it's helping us-

Lydia rolls her eyes, then smiles: -If you hadn't apologized for calling me a radar, you were so going to be slapped, you know?-

Scott smiles his infectious smile: -I know-

-What about the Chimeras? What do we do with the ones we find, in the meantime?- Asks Malia.

Derek turns to Scott: -Sometimes, they do know about their masters' plan. So, interrogating the majority of them could be totally pointless, but...-

-For those who know something...- Goes on Stiles, interrupting him, eyes fixed on the floor and nodding: -Yeah, might work-

Liam nods as well, and tries not to grimace too much at the idea of approaching Hayden and ask her anything. Oh, and he still must also confront Mason and admits he's a werewolf.

 _Oh, hell._

It isn't that Hayden was a bitch, per se. If Liam hadn't dumped her so badly in sixth grade, maybe thing would be different; maybe they would be friend, she would be all nice buddy buddy, maybe he could even have told her about the werewolf stuff. She used to be a very good friend, they were so close. Unfortunately, when they tried to turn the relationship towards a more romantic involvement, well, it became clear that what the pretty girl felt ran along a one-way-road. Liam didn't like the perspective of being together when he didn't feel anything for her, and when all he could think about when they were anywhere was how crazy it was that, at such a young age, they would "play couple". And yes, he might be able to admit, now, that he had been quite rude, brutal and even offensive towards the poor girl, the totally in love poor girl, but, at least, it was totally unintentional. Unfortunately, apologizing for dumping her in a very asshole way was not very much a chance, either back then, or nowadays. So, Liam just let it go, left her alone, and secretly hoped she got over him.

 _Oh, well, guess she didn't._

He keeps staring at the grass between his feet, lacrosse stick in his hands, sitting on a bench. Coming here to practice a bit has maybe been quite the stupid idea, especially since the pack has decided that he must ask Hayden about the club and the Chimeras, but... He really can't think of approaching her. What could he tell her?

He still has to tell Mason the truth, like, telling for real, and not how he let them, in the messy, yes-I know-except-I-do-not way he left them after what happened at the club. Mason saw him with claws, fangs, hair and glowing eyes, but he deserves a better explanation, a real one, actually. Proper words. And Liam doesn't know how to do that, either.

Mason was in a frenzy that morning, all enthusiastic about everything and nothing at the same time, all questions that Liam didn't answer to, and he didn't bother when the blondie didn't reply. He has even told him that he could understand if Liam needed time, before explaining things.

 _I mean, how can he be so comprehensive to me? Why?_

He flips the stick in his hands, bare hands feeling the wooden pole, eyes roaming and taking in the empty clearing where he uses to go and trains by himself. Launching the ball in the net, trying different corner, different movement, the strength too. He is good at this, he's good at lacrosse. Hell, he's always naturally been good at it, gifted, his former coach used to say, well, now he's _supernaturally_ gifted for it, as you could say. Unfortunately, now that he knows he can easily bets out almost everyone else, the game doesn't feel like before. It's still one of the things he likes more, but something is off, now. Yes, because, now he _knows_ it's going to be easy for him. He knows, because he's a goddamn werewolf. And he didn't ask for it.

He sighs: well, he didn't, and that's true. But, so did Scott. Scott didn't ask for it, either, and here he is, a werewolf, an alpha. A true alpha, Liam's one.

 _Yeah, probably nobody wishes to be a werewolf in the first place. And, if scott hadn't bitten me, I would have ended up dead. Or broken my legs, falling from that roof, and, Adieu lacrosse, for good._

He still thinks he's not that lucky, but not even the other way around.

Thing could be worse. They always can, and he has learned not to contradict this Big Truth.

The clearing is empty. He has never seen anybody here, even if someone must have used to come here frequently, to train for the same thing Liam does, because the nest was already here, when he found out the place at first. Now, only the trees are around.

The trees, the quietly spying on him animals, all trying to pass close to him without alerting him, trying to not attract his attention and end up dead meat. Yeah. He scoffs, like he would attack a deer.

 _No, wait._

He frowns.

There's something in the air, a scent. Someone. A creature, something supernatural.

Something like him.

His ears perks a bit and he lifts up his eyes, scanning the forest in front of him, but still not moving, apart from his eyes.

 _A Chimera?_

Well, it smells like supernatural, not human, and definitely not animal.

But.. He inhales more. It's a wolf, he realizes, a bit shocked.

How comes there is a werewolf nearby, and he hasn't sensed him? And Scott hasn't sensed him? And the pack doesn't know?

 _Maybe it's someone Derek brought._

No, it doesn't make sense; the former alpha would have told them, and surely he would have introduced to the pack whoever he's brought along with him.

So, this one must be someone who the pack does not know about.

 _An omega?_

He smells a bit like the pack, actually, which is something that distracts Liam. The scent reminds him Derek's, maybe, or even Scott's, and that's the oddest, because, _no, jealousy, shut up and stay out of my way right now,_ he's Scott's one and only beta. So, why does this wolf smell like Derek, or Scott?

Liam gets slowly up, letting the stick fall softly down, at his feet. He keeps his eyes on the trees, and goes on scanning the forest at his eyes-level, and higher.

And, there it is, the source of the smell.

There's a boy, up on a branch, standing on it like a Captain Jack Sparrow docking with his sinking ship, even though he doesn't look like Jack Sparrow in the least. He's tall, but not that much taller than Liam, maybe as tall as Derek. Liam doesn't know him, but when his eyes meet the stranger's blue-green, he doesn't feel anger, or the need to defend himself. The other werewolf keeps looking at him, and Liam goes on studying his figure.

 _Must be a model_ , he reasons. Maybe before the bite, maybe not. _Yeah, or a sport player._

He's quite built, but not bulky, he looks lean, under the smokey gray leather jacket, and his dress, even if Liam is not much of an expert, must cost more than those Liam usually wears. Something in the guy's pose and staring makes him looking like he's silently telling "I'm loaded, and everyone binds to my will, whatever I wish them to do", and it's so odd that he _feels_ like this, but doesn't feel threatened by the stranger. Even if he looks like he's an asshole. Even if hes' an omega, and who knows why he's here. _Even if he could work for the Chimeras_ , Liam realizes, and frowns deeper and clutches his fists.

The stranger remains quite, and doesn't look he's bothered by Liam's long staring, or him frowning, for that matter.

-You're a wolf- the stranger says, after a while.

He's not asking, but making a statement, like, I know what you are and you are so not going to lie to me, because I'm telling the truth, and nobody ever lies to me.

Liam lifts up his chin: -So are you- replies.

The stranger smirks the tiniest, and nods: -Training for lacrosse?- and vaguely gestures for the stick and nest. He doesn't wait for the obvious answer, though: -You in the school's team?-

Liam nods.

Then realizes the new guy can't be _that_ much older than him: -You look like you should be still in school too- he quietly says.

The new guy smirks: -Yeah, I should. But, I don't think I'm ever showing up at Beacon Hills' one ever again-

Liam doesn't ask the obviously required "why so", just stares at him.

The new guy really doesn't feel like a threat.

 _Oh, well._

Lydia said that the Nemethon is calling for a lot of creature, but it's not that every one following its call it's going to be a threat for the city and the pack. Maybe this new guy really is an omega, maybe he even needs a pack to join to.

Liam gulps, and decides: -Do you know how to play?-

The smirk goes larger, and becomes a fond smile: -Was the best-

Liam lets himself smile too, because, really, this new guy _really_ doesn't feel like a threat. Hell, he doesn't event feel like a stranger, although he's sure he's never meet him before: -And now?-

The new one shrugs: -It's been some time since I last played-

-Want to refresh your skills?- Liam offers.

The stranger's eyes go cold, hard, and blue.

Fuck. They're glowing _blue_ , not the usual, normal yellow, the yellow that assures that its possessor is not an assassin, a murderer, but someone he can trust. Maybe he is a threat. But then they go back to their normal color, and the guy clears his voice: -Do you think you'd let me?-

His eyes are blue.

 _But so were Derek, before... yeah_.

Liam shrugs and nods: -Sure thing. Training is better if we're two. How about you get down here, tell me your name, and why you're here? So we can play a bit. And I don't feel like I'm training with the devil-

The stranger smiles.

Not a smirk, even if it's really similar to the smirk he was wearing before. He jumps down the tree, lands gracefully, more than what Liam thinks he could do, on his feet, hunched down, then straightens himself and gives him his hand.

Bare, no ring, no tattoo, and the wrist cracking under the hem of the jacket is a lean, pale color.

Liam shakes the guy's hand, and it's warm, his scent is good, smells like home, like pack, and Liam doesn't understand why: -My name's Liam- he says, even if it's stupid, because he has asked the stranger to introduce himself first.

-I'm Jackson-

Liam nods.

Jackson.

 _Uh, no, that doesn't ring any bells._

-So, want to test how rusty you are?- he teases, and offers Jackson the stick and the ball.

Jackson catches the stick and holds it in his hand for a few seconds, then smile, a good smile, a nice smile, one that makes Liam think _this guy is OK, he's good,_ and throw the ball.

In the most fucking perfect, flawless way a lacrosse player is supposed to throw one.

Liam gapes, and then shuts his mouth: -I guess you're not that rusty-

-Show me what you got, now- teases Jackson, smirk plastered on his mouth.

And Liam, never one to back down from a challenge, does the same. As fucking flawlessly as Jackson, who nods, appreciating: -Yeah, you're not bad. But, I'd better show you something...-

When Liam goes home, after two hours training with a stranger who could be in league with the doctors and Chimeras and who he trusted just because he _smelled_ like one of the good guys, he expected himself to feel guilty, but he doesn't, not even in the least. The stranger hasn't told him anything about himself, so all the doubts he could have had are still in places, they've just played lacrosse for two hours, non-stop, and Liam is now playing back in his mind some of the few, new tricks and tips this Jackson has given him.

He has promised to meet him right there, same place, same time, tomorrow.

Like he wanted to meet Liam again, like he liked it. Not like he needed it, because he's following a big, evil plan. Like Theo. Theo was so obviously following a big evil plan, Liam could sense it, smell the bad intention, distinguish it in the fucker's scent. But this new guy, this Jackson, his scent is just fine, and, yes, he might has acted like a jerk once or twice, or maybe just like someone who is used to order people around, but, still, he hasn't given Liam one single hint that he's not to be trusted.

He didn't actually asked him the other way around either, and maybe that's one of the reasons Liam feels like he can trust him. Because he didn't ask him to, didn't pull out some trick to.

But there is something about him, something that makes Liam very aware of the fact that he doesn't know Jackson and his life, but the guy might know something about Liam, or about his pack.

Well, he also played damn good.

He sighs, and drops his duffel bag on the floor, stripping for shower.

Yes, he still has to speak with Hayden.

Yes, he still has to confront Mason.

But, at least, he's played lacrosse enjoying his time like he's never done since the bite.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hope you enjoyed it, and, well... Reviews? And, don't worry if it would be only a list of mistakes I made, I need that as well.


	10. Chapter 10

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to speed things up.

You tell me if you think it's good or not.

As always: free indirect speech/thoughs, Liam's (or Character's) point of view, meaning narration is subjective, from the character speaking perspective. Yes, that means he could lie, or similar. It's up to you to judge if it's true or not.

And, again: review?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's raining. The teardrops hit the glass of the windows with a soft, regular thud, every now and then when the wind blows the stream of rain more heavily against the glass, otherwise it's silent. Only the soft murmuring of the water hitting the ground. The grass, the concrete, the cars parked outside, the roofs, the walls.

The lonely figure outside, back straightened like a soldier's, eyes fixed upon Liam's bedroom window. Dark, because there's no light from the inside.

Liam shudders.

He felt it.

He felt it, but discarded it like a thought he must not indulge in.

He felt it and chose to ignore it, thought he was supposed to.

He felt like this other times during the week, and he has just ignored them all, like Scott did. Like his alpha did. Like he supposed his alpha wanted him to.

But now, now his alpha is right there.

Outside his house.

Staring at his window.

Not minding the rain at all, barely even feeling it.

He knows. Liam knows for sure that his alpha's sharp senses are all focused on him.

He breaths, a big intake of air inside his lungs, and, there, there it is, the smell, the scent.

His alpha's scent.

His alpha's desire.

Liam, cross-legged on his bed, white tee shirt and gray boxers brief, suddenly feels too covered, and at the same time he feels ashamed. Ashamed for having his alpha come here, in the rainstorm, instead of presenting himself in his bed, stark naked so that his mighty alpha can dispose as he please of his body.

 _Do what you like with me._

"No" thinks Liam, closing his eyes shut, not to see Scott's figure in the dark street, trying to fight the urge of his wolf.

But his alpha is here, and his alpha's scent tells clearly what he wants to do with his beta's body, and Liam's wolf is so eager to comply to that wish.

Liam's eyes go open even if he tries to keep them shut.

His hands go for the hem of his tee shirt, and lift it over his head, tossing it on the floor, even if with every movement he tries to regain control over his body.

But, it's so hot.

It's so hot.

Everywhere, blinding, overwhelming hot searing hotness.

There's nothing else but hot everywhere, and Scott's scent.

Liam, stumbling like a drunk man, stands up, goes at the window, opens it.

He's wobbling, and something inside him turns and cramps until Scott disappear from the street, and lands right in front of him, on the tiny windowsill, Scott's drenched jacket brushing Liam's bare arm. He opens his mouth, trying to say something at his alpha, trying to voice his sorry, his pleas, his _I'm sorry, my alpha, I'm sorry I didn't give you my body sooner_ but Scott growls softly, like warning not to waste his time with such things, and grabs a handful of Liam's blond hair, having him tilting his head back just a bit.

And then he leans down, hunches on his beta's lean form, and kisses him senseless until Liam's hands grasps at his arm and wrist and he's whimpering and he really, really needs to breathe.

Then, Scott retreats, straightens his back, still on the windowsill, his eyes red.

Liam wonders, for a tiny second, if he can realize at all what's happening.

Liam himself can barely process it.

He sure as hell can feel the painful erection straining his boxers, though.

And he gulps a mouthful of saliva, eyes blown yellow even if he doesn't know.

Scott snarls and pushes his beta on his back, making him land on the bed.

He jumps in, the window shutting behind him, and slowly takes off his jacket, his shirt, the tank top. Barechested, he leans over Liam, and grabs at his hips.

Liam tilts up his chin, baring his throat, arms resting beside his head.

 _Do me._

 _Do me, my alpha._

He wishes his head would stop screaming those fucking words, but his wolf wants this so much, he actually starts wishing it a bit himself too. Even if he is a bit afraid of what does this mean, what is he doing. What is Scott gonna doing.

Scott smirks a lopsided smile, happy alpha satisfied with the so well responsive beta, and leans again on Liam's throat.

He kisses, he licks, he gently bites.

Liam moans.

Shamelessly moans.

Open mouthed, wantonly, all thoughts forgotten moans.

 _Please, alpha. Please, do me._

And Scott bites him.

The sharp razor teeth sink into Liam's tender flesh, and blood is sucked and OH GOD, Liam's wolf is screaming with pleasure and Liam's rational, human mind too is overwhelmed in the pleasure the act is giving him, and it feels like Scott's teeth belong right there, in Liam's flesh. It doesn't hurt, it hurts more when he pulls back, and there's nothing in those little holes, anymore.

And Liam blushes, realizing what he's thinking, and how it sounds like.

But he doesn't stop.

He goes with the wolf.

He grabs Scott thick, soft dark hair and pulls his head close and kisses his alpha.

A good, passionate kiss.

He doesn't even know what's he doing, but he just go with the flow.

His alpha appreciate, and that's enough for him.

When Scott's finger scratch at his chest, he moans and it's a miracle he doesn't scream.

When Scott's hands tear away his boxers, he arches and presents him all of his body, in all of its naked glory.

When Scott starts again biting and liking and kissing every centimeters of his body he wish to pay attention to, Liam writhes and moans and whimpers and _Ah, fuck, please, please, please_ he doesn't really know what he's asking for, but he is so sure he needs it to live, that it doesn't matter.

If his body needs it so much, whatever it is gonna be, it's gonna do well for him.

And, when Scott's erection is free and slides along his on his chest, Liam clasps his legs on Scott's hips and back and makes sure his alpha knows how much he's linking it.

He doesn't even realized he's been penetrated when it happens.

He doesn't feel anything but pleasure, hot-searing pleasure, numbing all of his other sense. His brain his full of Scott. His body is full of Scott.

His soul in entangled with Scott's.

He is completely at his alpha's mercy, and this is it, this is what his body has been made for.

He feels like this is what is body has been waiting for until that very moment.

He has longed for, yearned for this.

And his alpha has finally given him the reason to be alive.

Not "a" reason, but "the".

He screams his release in his alpha's mouth, while he kisses him and eats every sounds he makes.

He is starting to realize what happened only when Scott pulls out, and lays down beside him, arm tucking Liam against his chest.

He still doesn't feel pain.

He _can't_ feel anything but the fading endorphins dissipating through his body.

He could say he's dead, except he knows so good, now, that he is alive.

This is what has made him alive, alive for real.

He smiles, and falls asleep without realizing it.

The last thing he feels is Scott's playful biting at his ear, and breathing his delicious scent like it's the only air he is ever gonna take in.

Some isolates away from Liam's place, Stiles is still awake, and still stares at the ceiling.

Malia is asleep, behind his back, and she breaths slowly, regularly, the soft lullaby that has helped Stiles to fall asleep as well, during those last days.

But, not today.

Today he looks at the ceiling, the white darkened by the lack of actual light, aside from the moon, starts and lamp lights filtering from the heavy tents. He looks at it, the white a shade of gray, and sees green.

Pale, vivid green.

His eyes slowly fill with tears.

 _Did you really have to come back?_

 _Did you really have to come here?_

 _Aren't you done tormenting me?_

Pale vividly deeply green eyes that aren't really there, but make him feel like they're right there, staring back.

He shuts his eyes.

He doesn't want to cry.

There's nothing to cry for.

Nothing.

It's not that he's come back and he's gonna ask him again that he leaves... _her_ , and embraces werewolf lifestyle.

He forces himself to breath normally, not to wake Malia, and gently pats her hand on his chest.

He loves her.

He loves her.

He loves her.

 _God forgive me, if I love him._

Hazel eyes go shut again, and the swelling tears finally fall down his cheeks.


	11. Chapter 11

Hi guys!

As always, free indirect speech/thoughts, and some shifting point of view. It shouldn't be that difficult to follow and identify, but, still. Here we go!

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

He wasn't reasoning.

This must be the real, the only possible explanation. He was not reasoning, he was somehow not able to use his own mind anymore.

Liam has his head in his hands, knees against his chest, elbows pressed tightly against his legs and torso, while unconsciously rocking to and fro on his spot on the cold floor.

He is sitting, naked, on the cold tiles of his parents' house bathroom floor, and he rocks himself and keeps his eyes shut and silently cries all his tears.

He is so scared.

He is so ashamed.

His chest aches.

His mind aches.

His stomach churns and he feels like he would vomit at any moment.

He is so scared.

What the hell has happened?

What has he done?

Why has he done it?

Why did Scott do that?

What has Scott done?

Wasn't Scott, gentle, strong Scott supposed to help him, to protect him?

Then why did his alpha let his wolf take over on his sanity and made Liam's too revolt against his teenager human mind?

Why did they do that?

What have they done?

The bile is fueling the disgust he feels for himself and Scott and his actions and their... their... whatever it was what they did. The sour smell of his own stomach rebelling against him, his mind punishing him for what he did.

And he liked it too.

 _Oh God, please forgive me._

 _Oh, dear sweet beloved God, if there's someone up in the Heaven, please forgive me for what I've done._

 _I wasn't even conscious!_

 _I don't even know what happened!_

Now he realizes part of the reason he's crying is not because he feels shocked, scared, a tiny bit disgusted, and he doesn't know why he has done what he has done. He's also crying because he can't be sure of what happened and what not. He does not remember, he does not _know_.

Even if his human mind is so tempted to suggest it's feeling like he has just been raped, it's not about the sex. Well, part of the disgust he feels for himself is also for that too, but, his wolf wanted it, and his human body has definitely enjoyed it too, so, he supposes he could be able to get over the tiny part of shame and disgust pretty soon; it's just sex, right?

Except, no, it isn't, because it meant something for the wolf, for his alpha's and his own, and he doesn't know what it was, and which are the consequences.

He is scared because he doesn't even clearly remember all of it, and it's like he was being possessed by his inner, kinda-new real nature, and his human mind was put temporally away, closed in the drawer where usually it is the wolf's conscience he put to rest.

He is so scared.

He doesn't know, he doesn't remember.

It's almost worse than waking up and finding out his wolf took over during a fool moon night, and he has raced the country in search for a body to eat and rip apart and destroy.

It's worse, but it's that kind of not being able to remember.

And, right beside that door, right behind it, sitting on the wooden floor of the hallway, his alpha is trying to breathe normally, while checking on his beta's breathing.

Scott saw Liam freaking out, but Liam saw Scott freaking out too.

Nobody knows what happened, why they did what they did, and Scott is definitely any less scared than Liam. Especially since it has never lost control in a long time, and, in case he would lose it, he would make such a bigger mess than Liam.

So, while Liam is crying over shame, not being able to remember, and, well, yes, also the dull ache in his ass and lower back and the feeling of not being a virgin anymore (which, by the way, makes him shudder in shame because, duh, he feels such a girl!), Scott is trying to keep calm and not start panicking over the fact that, hell, he has lost control.

It's the second time Scott has, and in both situations it was because of Liam. He has never lost control since freaking long time, since he was bitten in the first place, and now it happened, twice, and both because of his precious beta.

What the hell is he doing?

Deaton is missing.

Of all the time Doctor Deaton could be missing, now it's the worst one, and of course, it's now his wise man has decided to go missing! Scott swears in his mind, worry for his mentor renewed, and murmurs softly to the wooden door: -Liam- he calls: -Liam, are you ok?-

Liam trembles, and whimpers softly.

Then he nods.

The endorphins from the sex have sure dissipated, up to now, but something in his brain must be released at the sound of Scott's reassuring voice, because he feels like he can, actually, manage to stop trembling and get a grip on himself.

He clears his voice, twice, then murmurs back a yes.

-Listen, uh...- Scott rests his head on his palm: -Did I hurt you?-

He has planned to not ask that kind of questions.

He has planned to help Liam cope with reacting, with getting up, have a shower, go back to bad and sleep, while Scott goes home and, and, and, what the hell, speaks with _Stiles_ , of all people, and tries a way out from that mess.

And, instead, he asks Liam if he hurt him.

But Liam answers, so Scott's plan of reassuring his kid must have worked. Or, the aforementioned kid is really much stronger than what Scott would have been at his age.

-No-

Liam's voice doesn't shake.

He is not lying.

He is still scared, though.

Scott scoffs: -I'm sorry if I did. I don't know what happened, but I'm going to find out. I swear. Ok?-

Liam nods.

Then, because he can guess his alpha can't see him, he adds: -Ok-

-And, this is getting priority over the Chimeras- Scott assures.

Well, Liam can't but feel way relieved for that: -Thanks- he whispers.

Scott gulps.

He should have find out sooner. He should have pressed Deaton or asked Derek, or, hell, even spoke with Stiles. He is human, but he's also his best friend and he's helped him in any type of absurd situation, before now.

-Liam, I gotta go home now-

Liam nods again.

Scott can't see that, but he must have senses some reaction from him, because he goes on: -Take a shower, go back to bed. Try to sleep. I'll call you tomorrow morning- he hesitates: -Can I come and pick you up?-

-Yeah- Liam answers immediately: -yes, yes please- he adds, trying to slow down his words.

-Ok- says Scott, and quietly stands up and goes back to Liam's room.

The beta can feel him fetching his clothes, and jumping down his window.

He dries his face with the back of his hands, attempts to stand as well, fails, tries again, and finally managed to get up and goes for the shower.

He cries again, under the hot stream of the water, but when he's done, he feels much more calmer.

Because he can't work a way out of that mess. He just can't.

But Scott can. He is his alpha, the one who always protect him, and he is going to find answers, solutions, and he's going to make things better.

And with that certainty steady in his mind, he goes back to bed, ignore the smell of sex, the stains and the memories his wolf is basking in, slips under the blankets and sleeps.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Lydia wakes up.

She stares with wide eyes at the ceiling, then at the right wall, then the left. Everything seems in order, and she doesn't feel, she doesn't hear anything.

So, why did she wake up?

She wasn't having nightmares, she try to reason and calm herself.

Her heart is pounding like mad in her chest.

She breaths slowly, and sits against the headboard of her bed.

She keeps looking around.

And then she gets it.

The window is open, now.

Hell, the window is open and she clearly remembers closing it shut.

Oh, God, please, don't be the Doctors, please, don't be the damned Doctors...

She stands and hurriedly reach for the window, closing it with a quiet, but decisive movement.

She doesn't see shadows lurking around, she doesn't feel evil presence, and, actually, there isn't a really eerily air pending on her shoulders. Well, beside the one you would anyway feel, when waking up at three in the morning, see all pitch black and wonder why your window has magically opened.

She can't understand what she's feeling.

If it is a banshee thing, well, she definitely must try to work better on her senses.

She feels something.

Someone has been here, and that's also reasonable to believe it, because windows don't just open themselves like this.

She is just not sure the force responsible is evil.

Which is, unbelievably, good news.

She breaths.

In her own room there's something lingering, a good smell she can't get to identify, to recognize, but she knows it's not new, and she knows she liked it, and so does now.

Apparently, sometimes she can be spared from monster trying to kill her.

She still must find out what it was, because, even if it is not a threat, it is still something that could have killed her, as it has opened its way in her house and it has slipped in her room.

Well, tomorrow morning. Or, in a few hours, more likely.

She goes back to bed and to her sleep.

She is no wolf, she's a banshee.

She can't see or sense or feel the boy sitting over her roof, spying on her, leather jacket open on his chest, blue-green eyes piercing the darkness, guarding her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Review are precious, as always, and they would really help me figuring out how the story's going! So... Yes. Let me know!


	12. Chapter 12

Hi there.

Here we go with chapter number 12!

I hope you guys are still enjoying this!

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

There are just a few things Liam can think of.

The first is that Scott's just said Deaton's gone missing, and so, consequently, the feeling filling the young beta are shock, worry, even fear, because, what if the Chimeras have taken him, and that's almost obvious they did, and so what should they expect they will make him?

Then, there's the thought that their wiseman, the one whom they approach to, the one who usually saves their asses 90% of times, has gone missing. Consequently, Liam's second stream of feelings is along the type of 'Jesus freaking fucking Christ', because he and Scott are screwed big time.  
Irony, sweet irony, to be screwed upon having actually screwed each other.  
Not that Liam's gonna laugh, or even smile, about that.  
He is too busy freaking out.  
 _Jesus, what am I supposed to do? And Scott? What if it happens again? What if I want it to, or Scott does?_  
Yeah, he's freaking out, no big deal, and he doesn't feel like he should be ashamed of it. He supposes anyone would, at his place.  
Scott is still on the other line of the phone, speaking to him. The soothing, warm and reassuring voice of his alpha is trying to keep Liam's mind relaxed, and to persuade him he's still in control.  
Liam's totally ok with that plan. He wants, _needs_ to believe him, to trust completely in him.  
At least, Scott says, they aren't sure Deaton is dead, and they can save him. While trying to fight off the Chimeras, and figure out what are they doing, or, more likely, why.  
Liam sighs: -Yeah, man. I understand. I'm just... A bit worried, I think. As you are, by the way, so you can stop pretending you know exactly what's going on- he reprimands Scott with a smile.  
His alpha makes a sound half way to a snort, and Liam can picture him smiling fondly at him. Because, just like that, they're more connected to each other's mind than anyone can possibly understand. And in situations like this, it's damn useful, and relaxing.  
-You're right- concedes Scott  
-You can tell I am-  
-Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in too much-  
Liam smiles without realizing he is.  
-So, whatcha doing? Do you have a plan to find him? I can help, you know-  
-I know you can. But, I'd rather you to speak with that girl about the Chimeras and the club. Can you do that?-  
-I'm worried, not damaged, Scott. Of course I can. It's just I don't really... Well, Hayden is not that fond of me. And I still need to speak with Mason-  
-You're gonna do great, Liam. Just go-  
Liam nods and says ok aloud, because yes, they've this connection and all, but it's still better to just use their voices.  
He dreaded this moment, but knows now time has come. He has to confront Bubblegum Lady, -Pissed-Ex, and subtly ask her about the club she works in. And, yes, he's famous for being subtle. A-ha. Yeah. Right.  
He's so fucked.  
The lifts a corner of his lips and rolls his eyes.  
Oh, the irony, again. Can you die for too many bad jokes?

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

She must remember to buy a new stick of Rimmel, she muses to herself, while closing, finally, _finally_ the book about the Doctors.  
She leans in the wooden chair, and softly massages under her green eyes, feeling sore skin. Some sleep would do her tons of good but she doesn't like sleeping much these days. She keeps dreaming about the Doctors, and she's so afraid of dreaming them and starting (well, it's not like she's ever _stopped_ ) doubting they have already done something to her.  
Thinking about that is not going to help her. Plus, it's making her nervous, and, in a pack of werewolves, that's no good news. She doesn't want them to know how she feels, she like the feeling of being in control and have her own privacy respected. She wants, almost need, people not to stick their nose in her feelings, unless she's offering to speak about them. And this applies to her pack too. She's not a werewolf, after all, and she considers herself part of the pack more because they are her friends than because they're united with some strange bond.  
She stops herself from thinking, again, to Allison.  
She's gone, she reminds herself. No need to scratch old, badly sewed scars.  
She breaths deeply through her nose, and starts packing her purse. She hasn't much to do left, and she'd better go home and make her mom know she's ok. After what happened with Tracy, she's still a but shocked, and believably so.  
She hasn't spoke a word to the Sheriff either... Which is, at the same time, odd and ironic. That her mother has a date (or attempted to) with Stiles' father, considered how the Sheriff's son has felt for Lydia, for ages.  
She's glad they're friends, now, though. Even if she can't help but ask herself if he's still feeling something for her, and wondering how things would have gone, if she had accepted his love, years ago.  
No, not when Jackson was still there.  
 _Jackson_.  
The stab is so strong she has to stop while picking up the strap of her purse, and to focus on slipping it up her arms, until it's safely settled on her shoulder.  
 _Jackson_.  
She's really felt something for Ayden. Not love, probably, but the alpha twin made a damn good job to rid her of Jackson's memory, and his leaving too. She may has not loved him, Ayden, but she has felt something. Something quite close to love. And the sex was great. Not that she would ever limit him to that. It may have started like that, but it definitely ended being+ just like sex.  
She lost Ayden. She kinda lost Stiles too, 'cause, even if she can feel he is not 100% into Malia, she knows they now are more linked as a brother to a sister, than anything else. She feels him, like their soul is made of the same substance, like she can recognize him as a make copy of her herself, sometime,and this excludes sexual attraction.  
Then there was Jackson.  
Stab. Yes, but she winces and grimaces and scowls. Yes, him leaving her after all she had done for him, especially after _her_ brought him back to _life_ , was Jerk-Selfish-Move-Number-One, but she still feels...

Oh, fuck that.  
Maybe. Maybe she still feels something for him, maybe.  
Besides anger, resentment, and a damn righteous desire and need to slap that perfect face of him, twice or more.  
Maybe she does.  
But, admitting it doesn't implies she is willingly proceeding into grieving again for her past, lost love. She is quite over that. She has fucked enough boys to sexually get rid of Jackson's memory (Ayden was _great_ in the sack), and, after Ayden, maybe also emotionally.  
She quietly exits the school library, the low heels of her boots making a soft sound whenever she hits the linoleum floor, and proceeds to her car.  
No sir, she is definitely not going to think about Jackson.  
 _Damn_ ,why am I thinking of him so much, all of a sudden?  
That is indeed weird, she considers while strapping in her seatbelt and turning the key. She puts the gear in and gets out the parking lot.  
She was also starting to feel something for Deputy Parrish too. She knows she was, and she can definitely admit she was starting something, flirting with him. He surely showed her all the signs of 'yes, I'd do you anytime', without being creepy, of course.  
And he is quite fit too.  
He just...  
She scowls, and looks for other cars coming at the crossing, then she goes ahead.  
He started _feeling_ different to her. She can perceive a change in him, even if he isn't aware of it himself, and she can't explain it. And, because she most of the times, hell, no, always figures out her emotions and why she's feeling them and where they come from, soon or later, if she can't explain it, it's 90% a banshee thing. So, it's unexplainable and most likely right.  
So, no Jordan.  
Too bad, he was really fit. And, there is something in his eyes...  
She rolls her eyes and breaths out a swear. It dawned on her, that, _of course_!

That's why she's so attracted to Jordan.  
The guy is an older, and maybe more mature, copy of Jackson.  
How did she not see before?  
The jaw line, which translates in the set of expressions they make.  
The eyes, Jesus, the eyes.  
And the fact that they're both really fit.  
Well, Jackson was (is, probably... Oh, who's she trying to fool? Of course she wishes he's still alive) much more selfish and in denial about himself and extremely self-centered. And he would have never matched some clothes in the outfit she saw Jordan sporting, once or twice. Deputy Parrish doesn't give that much attention to dressing up. Jackson, on the other hand... He was even worse than her.  
No, wait. He was _way_ worse than her.  
She pulls the car along the street, right outside her house, switches off the engine, grabs her purse and- she freezes.  
She's feeling something.  
She let's her hands go limp, and drop whatever they were holding. She can worry about finding,keys later, now she has a voice to identify.  
She heard something, but she can't quite grasp what the voice is whispering, or whose voice it is.  
Where does it come from?  
She gets out the car, let's the door open.  
She scans the street and the houses in front of her.  
She frowns.  
She has a flash of the Doctors, with the steampunk outfit, and she can see, again, herself tied up to the chair they put their victims in.  
She can sense something, a feeling of impending dread.  
They lift a surgery knife, and lean closer to her face.  
She can see through the mask, and what she sees has her go still and stiff.  
Under the mask there is a set of eyes, of dead eyes.  
The doctors are just puppets.  
Empty, soulless dead body that someone is controlling, like puppets.  
She can hear screams, and suddenly she's no longer in the chair, and there's Kira there, a younger version of her, and the Doctors lean the surgery knife upon her breast, and twist it in a sick movement that makes Lydia nauseous, and Kira screams and screams and screams until she passes out.  
And, right then, the door of the room opens.  
And Theo comes in.  
The newly arrived to town, old friend of Scott and Stiles.  
Theo works with them, with the Doctors.  
 _No shit, Stiles' gonna be happy about this._  
Wasn't he just waiting for some excuse to show Scott he can't trust the guy?  
The Theo in her vision is a younger version, as Kira is, of the boy he's now.  
They are in league, but, who knows since when.  
Can he be the puppeteers?  
In her vision, he's very young.  
And, she realized, _human_.  
What the hell happened?  
The vision fades.  
She sees only the street, the houses, and her car is still open, behind her.  
She closes the door, flicks the button of the closure and sets the alarm, then realizes she has forgot her purse, undo, grab it, redo, and walks inside her house.  
Completely missing the sight of the young werewolf spying on her from the opposite house roof.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWT

So... Yeah. Guess who the mysterious young werewolf that keeps spying on Lydia is?

Wahaha, I love him so much!

Reviews are LOVEd, and needed. Seriously, feedback is a necessary tool to figure out how's the story going, so, please, help me, would'ya?

Sinvcerely Devotedly Yours Black King,

Vereor


	13. Chapter 13

OMG, this story is dragging so long.

Are you still with me?

Again, be aware for free indirect thought/speech, and shifting point of view.

Review please? I really need them.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The thing is, he doesn't like lying to himself, contrary to what people usually do and like and even need, especially when times are hard, and they end up in a corner with back against a wall.

No sir, he doesn't like to lie to himself, he appreciates his own mind honesty and ability to never fail on him, whenever he needs it. Especially in hard times like this. And, if he doesn't like the situation he ends up in, well, you spend some years in a werewolves pack, and then come and tell us if that does, or doesn't, change your perspective on what are the good features that makes a situation a good one.

Stiles has learned it the hard way. Well, not always, but, mostly yes. He must rely on himself, and, in order to completely trust his own mind, he must not lie to himself. So, if he's in deep shit, he must admits to himself he is in deep shit.

And, well, he may be, now, but, honestly, that's not so bad. Right?

He loves Malia. Not like he did love Lydia, but that was insane adoration, transformed into brotherly-like closeness, now. Developed, you could say. He loves Malia. Not like he loves Scott, of course, because Scott is his best friend, and the most close thing to a real, blood-bonded brother, as Lydia sometimes feels like a kindred spirit. A platonic soul mate. Scott is the brother he wish he had. Malia... Malia is the girlfriend he's so happy he has, who he didn't look for, but found nonetheless, and an everyday surprise, whenever he gets up and realizes the arm resting on his chest is hers. He likes when she's around. He likes when she's close to him. And, he definitely likes to have sex with her, or when she shoves him against a wall and kisses the daylight out of him, grinding against him and turning him on like crazy. And he loves her, when she says something unbelievably innocent or cruel and doesn't realize what she's saying is supposed to be morally bad. She 's fresh, genuine, totally natural. How could you not love her?

But, then, again, when has Stiles' life ever been simple?

Especially since his best friend got bitten and transformed into a supernatural creature.

He thought the unusual and weird things had reached their peaks when Jackson was magically brought back to life, and they haven't still understood if it was because of Lydia, him or a werewolf thing. Then, the Nemethon awakened again, Stiles' mind became possessed, he met Malia, they had to chase against a crazy banshee trying to kill them all, and Derek almost died right before his eyes, and he felt it.

For the first time, when watching Derek's eyes, the Derek he thought was dying, he felt it. The unmistakable pull of something supernatural, which absolutely made no sense since he's so proud of being the only human in the pack, and he's pretty sure he still is human, 100%.

And then, when Derek came back, alive again, new power shimmering through his veins, Stiles realized the pull he was feeling was somehow pulling him towards the ex-alpha, the grumpy beta, the insanely fit and attractive _holy shit, brain, not now please!_

He breaths long breathes and tries to focus again.

He felt it then, and Derek disappeared almost instantly after.

With Braeden.

Two days after, he was back, in Stiles room ( _never leave a window open, Stiles, you know_ ) without telling no one he was back. Stiles had no idea why he was there, and then the bomb was dropped. No shit, soul mates. Werewolves soul mates. He was supposed to be Derek's real soul mate.

Derek was a bit flushed when speaking with him, like he was a bit embarrassed, and, when Stiles asked if this soul mate thing implied sex, he just smirked and confirmed.

Yes, Stiles had went cherry red. Wouldn't anyone?

He slaps softly his forehead at the memory.

Derek was tense too, and confessed he at first thought, when he was "young and stupid" that it was Kate. But, it was impossibly, and after some years and researches and studies, he understood also why. Apparently, to find a mate a wolf required two things: time, in order to know its true nature and form, and power. Either the first or the second, which is, for example, the reason why alpha are more likely to find a mate.

Stiles muses to himself about telling Scott that, but then again he reconsiders that, because it might click in his buddy's mind memories of Allison, and Stiles seriously doesn't wish any more grieving for his best friend.

Derek had kissed him.

To shut him up, of course, because Stiles had started babbling incoherently, embarrassed beyond human experience, and profusely repeated that he couldn't be Derek's mate because he was Malia's boyfriend, and _holy hell, the man can kiss._

His hand drops lower, and caresses his lips.

He liked that.

He doesn't know what that means, if it makes him gay or not, but he doesn't think so.

He still likes a lot also when Malia kisses him, and shags him too.

He wouldn't mind letting Derek have his way with him too, though, even if it's a man, and it's no doubt who'd be top between the two. At that time, he actually panicked.

Now that the man is back, though, he is, unwillingly, reconsidering it.

They had argued.

He had yelled him to let him be, to go away from him, never told anything to anyone, showered tons of time before running to Malia's place, and he and Derek haven't spoken a single word after it.

Now, though, he knows what Derek's eyes were saying, when he was speaking to the whole pack about the Chimeras and his experience with the monsters the Doctors make. He was stiff, and all grumpy because he thought he had been and still was right, and that, if there was someone to call guilty, it was Stiles, and not him. Stiles hasn't let him go along that line for a second, of course, because he was still of the same opinion about that.

He might be attracted to Derek, but, although he could think of spending a life time with Malia, he definitely could not picture himself with Derek forever.

And, the whole deal was absurd, by the way: he wasn't even in his twenties, he was still in high school, for Christ's sake!

Derek is most likely going to try to speak him out again, and Stiles wishes his head is all clear for that moment.

He lets out a sight.

 _Easier said than done_.

Never have been a saying more appropriate to time like this.

TWTWTW TWTWTWTW TWTWTWTWTW

Liam shivers.

He was 100% planning to call Hayden, beg, if he needed to, ask her out, just to speak, and confront her directly once and for all about anything weird at the club she works in. he thought it was better than trying to approach her at school, where she would most likely pull a scene and start calling him an asshole for leaving her, counting on her friends back up. He wanted her alone, and wanted to be over soon with that.

He had grabbed the phone.

Then he saw a message from Scott.

His alpha had sent him a text with the equivalent of his lopsided smile, fond and adorable, the one that always melts Liam's heart and fills his belly with heat rolling up and down.

He had replied a "I'm calling Hayden and ask about the club", just to inform him about his doing, always loving when Scott goes on alpha mode and started to be a bit more territorial and controlling. Then, Scott suggested he stopped by his place, before going to Hayden's, and Liam went.

They were supposed to chat a bit, and Liam thought Scott might want him by his side just to give his wolf some relief, make sure his beta was ok.

He is spread on Scott's bed, legs wide open and stark naked, with his alpha having his way with his body. He's shivering and trembling and moaning wantonly Scott's name, and whispering and swearing every time the alpha's teeth dig a bit deeper in his skin, or he sucks harder and Liam's skin is painted in bloody love bites.

He arches his back, granting Scott more freedom, when his alpha's mouth goes down on him, and he feels Scott teeth along his tight and groin, and his erection is impossibly hard and begging for attention, but he doesn't dare lower an arm and grab himself in his hands. His body is starving for Scott's hands, and his alpha is giving right what he needs, and he loves when he ravishes him, his entire body, like he's trying to eat him alive, to possess him body and soul.

He moans, and begs, and smiles while grasping Scott soft thick hair, because, _Jesus, he's begging!_ And Scott smiles too, his mouth pressed on Liam's inflamed skin, right below his belly button, corners of the mouth quirked up and growling: -Begging already?-

Jesus, how deep down has Scott's voice gone?

 _Jesus,_ and he might have swore aloud, because Scott is chuckling: -It's Scott, actually-

-Fuck, please, Scott- Liam smiles and begs and arches and: -Oh, oh yeah, please, please please!- Scott's mouth swallows him whole, in one single motion, and _Oh God Jesus Christ Lord Of Whatever You Want please don't stop Scott, please, please don't stop!_

Scott's finger probes at his entrance, dry and demanding, but Liam doesn't care at all, and when his alpha shoves himself inside his body, his own one stretching to adjust to welcome the new presence, he throws his head behind and _scream_ because, _Oh Jesus,_ this is what he needs, he needs, he needs...

-Scott! God... Scott! Scott! I'm... I'm-

-I know- Scott growls, hips still pumping while he leans into Liam's shoulder and whispers hoarsely at his ears: -Come, Liam-

And that's it, Liam's a goner, and he's screaming and clenching and arching and his vision goes white and black, then again white, Scott's teeth in his shoulder, then black again, and he ends up panting rapidly on the mattress, Scott still inside him, head in the crook of his neck, arms still possessively holding his hips, still floating on the after-come too.

-Oh, god-

-I told you it's Scott-

Liam smiles and slaps fondly Scott's ass.

Then pats it.

Then grabs it, and decides that's the best place for his hands, so he puts his other hand too.

Scott makes a sound that is so close to purring, that Liam explode in a laugh: -Big bad wolf gone kitten, uh, Scott?-

-Shut up!- says Kitten Alpha, and buries himself deeper in the crook of Liam's neck.

What did he have to do?

 _Oh, shit_ , he groans, and sighs: -Scott,- he calls, but his alpha does not answer much more than a grunt: -Scott, man, let me up, I have to go and speak with Hayden-

Scott mumbles something.

-Uh, what was that?-

Liam tries to get up, in the meantime, but, try that when a freaking alpha werewolf is practically collapsed on top of you.

-Don't. Later-

-But, she's waiting for me, now! And, if I don't show up, I'm losing all the chance I have to speak to her-

He kinda wishes Scott doesn't get up.

He doesn't want to speak with Hayden, and, right there, under Scott's body, that's his new favorite place in the world.

But, of course, Scott groanes and gets up: -Ok, right. Let's go, I'm giving you a ride-

 _Dammit_ , swears Liam.

TWTWTWTWTWTW TWTWTWTWTW

In the forest, right where the burned skeleton of what once was the magnificent Hale house stands, Derek is sitting on a tree log, a big one, and one that must have been cut recently, because he remembers only trees in that corner of his family propriety. His eyes rest on the house, but they don't focus on it.

There is so much pain floating from this set of ruined nightmarish wooden boards. It fills his heart so much he grimaces without even realizing. He used to be young here, a kid. He'd played there, on the porch, candles light and his sister white blanket covering him while Laura and their mother were cuddled up on the rocking chair and looking through the woods. He used to be a kid, playing football and lacrosse and basket with uncle Peter, the pretty face always babbling about girls older than Derek, but also his best friend, the perfect partner in crime for their adventures.

He used to be a kid, sitting and waiting for his father to come back home and running towards him and feeling like flying when the big man lifted him in his arms and spun.

Then he saw Kate. He thought he knew love, hell, he knew he knew love. After Paige, he was sure he definitely knew love. And he also knew it hurts. So, he wasn't that much surprised when he realized he'd fallen for a huntress, beautiful and hot Kate Argent. He thought he loved her. Then she killed all his family, and he saw his house burning, and heard the screams, and...

He closes his eyes shut.

He really wishes some day the memories will stop. All of them, the happy ones, as well as the sad and horrible ones. He doesn't think he can live with them in mind, as a reminder of what he had, and he lost, also for his own fault.

Then he frowns.

And turns.

He has picked up a scent.

He knows that scent.

He just can't believe it.

With all the shit he's been going through, with Braeden, Cora, Stiles... He just needed his old beta to come back.

Why the hell is he here?

He's still in the shadows of the trees, hiding, but Derek knows he's more or less looking in the direction his ex beta's eyes must be.

He swallows.

He has never had any ambition of greatness, as an alpha, and he just wanted to survive and provide survival for his pack too. He wasn't destined for lead a pack, and he was well aware of the fact.

When he has bitten him, and when he came back to life, Derek wasn't expecting to develop that type of relationship with him, even if he should have imagined it, because, after all, he was his first bitten beta, so it was more than normal and usual, that they... grew fond of each other.

Well. It didn't hurt and helped that he was also quite attractive, and Derek has never minded gender.

When he told Derek he was going to leave Beacon hill, Derek tried, a little bit, to make him change his mind, but then he let the kid do whatever he decided it was best for himself.

Why the hell has he come back?

Then he realizes it.

 _Of course. Lydia_.

The banshee girl has brought Jackson back to life, and, even after them, and after all the running away, to London and the rest of the world, Jackson still couldn't forget her.

He must have come back for her.

He swallows.

Jackson starts walking out the wood, and appears at the edge of the clearing.

He is nervous, but he's become quite good at hiding his emotions, and, if it wasn't for their old link that they apparently haven't lost, Derek would be that sure of what Jackson is feeling.

He's nervous.

He's impatient.

And he's missing something, or someone.

 _Must be Lydia_ , muses Derek, and relaxes his face.

He almost smile, too: -Look who's here- he says, quietly.

Jackson walks again, and reach the log where Derek is sitting, but he keeps standing. He just look at the ruined house, and sighs.

-Are you here for her?-

-I should have come sooner-

Jackson's voice is still the same as Derek remembers.

The closeness with his old, first beta fills his bloodstream of a long time lost energy, and the fog of sadness in his heart parts, letting the bright shines of light Jackson always carried with himself go through, and reach Derek.

-I told you so- he just comments.

Jackson looks down, then at Derek, meeting his green eyes: -I've abandoned my last pack, you know-

-So I've heard-

If the kid is surprised that Derek has kept asking about him, he doesn't reveal it.

-Although I though you'd settle down fine in Japan- he adds, smirking, and hinting.

Jackson smiles a bit, embarrassed, and lets his emotion show. Or he just can't fight the bond he still shares with Derek, not this close to him.

The bond that, now that he knows Lydia is it for him, and Derek has found his mate, has changed, transformed, evolved, and feels like brotherhood.

-I've missed you too- he admits, so softly, a whisper Derek struggles to hear, even if he's a werewolf, but that's ok, because he's Jackson. He smirks wider, and pats the log.

Jackson sits, and they look at the ruined house a bit longer.

-You told Stilinski, haven't you?- ask Jackson after a while.

Derek sights dramatically, and confirms.

-And?-

-I guess "freaked out" is the correct expression. Although he babbled about being with Malia, right now-

Jackson frowns, and nods: -She's not the right one, but, I guess he can't know. He's dense like that... and he's no wolf- he adds, sounding conceding, like he still doesn't like the guy, but doesn't want to insult Derek's life mate.

Derek nods: -I just hope he'll see through it before I'm supposed to leave- he admits.

Jackson nods: -I bet you do. Now, emotional chick flicks aside- and he grins to Derek, who grins back: -what are we going to do about these Chimeras? Because I won't them let hurt my mate-

Derek smirks again, but refrain from asking him if, after all it took him to admit Lydia was it, he's found the courage to go back to her, ask for forgiveness, and told her the truth.

He knows Jackson. He knows he hasn't yet.

But, that's ok, because that's typically Jackson, and it's nice to know that, after all, he's still his smartass, arrogant stupid beta.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

So, yeah, I know, I myself find the heart-to-heart moment between Derek and Jackson a bit too... girly, considering the two, but, still. I hope it wasn't that bad!

Please, gimme some review, I need opinions.

Till next time!


	14. Chapter 14

Hi everybody!

Sorry for the delay, but I had a few things on my mind recently. My father died less than two weeks ago, and, well, besides how that makes me feel, I really did not want my story to reflect how that's affecting me. I really feel the urge to finish this fic, and try to settle for another story, or maybe I'll just wipe my mind of stuff for some time, and then I'll go back, who knows. I don't have plans. But, it is safe to assume that the end is approaching, coming closer and closer, so, I hope this is not going to disappoint you, but, yes, that's going to be it. In a few chapters, I guess.

Now, about this one: mind free indirect speech/thoughts, shifting point of view, the usual.

Let me know what do you think, please? I want to finish it off quick, true, but I still want it to be good.

TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TW

Liam is finally confronting Hayden.

The girl looks pissed. Utterly so.

She's been at least twice on the point of slamming the door on Liam's face, but somehow, for some reason, she's refrained herself from it, and she's still speaking with him.

-I don't know anything, Liam- she repeats one more time.

Liam isn't buying it, but doesn't want to push it. He asked her if she has noticed something _off_ about the place she works at, anything, and she's verbally said no, but otherwise admitted that yes, and that's enough to scary her. And she's pretty tough, so, if it scares her, Liam is pretty sure it's important.

He would like to know where they should look first, but she's not helping, and refuses categorically to admit she's scared in the first place, or that anyone died at the club, so Liam doesn't have much as leverage. She knows a boy died at the Sinema, but keeps denying. She knows something is going on, something bad, but doesn't admit it, and this means Liam can't go for the line "people will die if you don't help me". She keeps also mentioning the police, as she hasn't clearly understood that the bad guys in this situation are a bit above normality.

Liam just nods, resolving for dropping the topic and leave her be. She doesn't want to collaborate, and that's pretty obvious.

-Ok, Hayden-

She flinches.

Liam frowns. _Why that reaction?_

She looks impatient.

 _She wants me to go away. But, why? Do I make her uneasy?_

Liam straightens his forehead and smiles her. Oddly enough, her expression goes a bit closer to panic. And that's really odd, because Hayden is never scared near Liam. She should be pissed, annoyed at him, but definitely not afraid.

Her smell, her quite good smell, mixed with the omnipresent faint trace of strawberry bubblegum, is now laced with something else, and Liam can't understand what's wrong with her, but, damn, he's sure something is.

She's not ok.

She's different.

She's afraid of him.

Still smiling, Liam's voice drops and he walks two steps closer to her:- Hayden- she freezes on the spot, her knuckles around the doorknob whitening. And if that's not a confirm something is wrong with her, Liam doesn't know what's going to be: -I know you don't like me. I definitely won't, ever, ask you why. But, I want you to know... If you're in trouble, you can count on me-

Hayden eyes have always been hard, strong, tough. Even when she was a little kid, she's always had this aura of being in control. Now, her eyes are hard, but her stare suggests she's struggling not to let him know, _see_ , something.

And the smell dawns on him.

He smells Theo.

Anger threatens to overcome him, at the mere thought of the asshole who tried to steal Scott from him, but he miraculously control himself, and keeps smiling.

-Where is he?- he asks, lowering her voice again.

Not that is going to help, considered Theo is a werewolf.

Hayden is sweating.

-I don't know what you're talking about, Liam. Now, please, leave me the fuck alone-

And her eyes go big with a plea she will never, ever, speak aloud.

She's asking for help.

Liam tries to keep calm, while his mind pictures a tons of different scenario.

Theo holding Hayden's family hostages.

Theo biting Hayden.

Theo that has already done it, or maybe even taken her to the Doctors.

She still smells like a human being, though.

And, suddenly, she smiles: -But, you're right. I know I could ask you for help- her smile is soft, and Liam knows it's an add to her previous, silent plea. She knows Theo can't see her expression, but she's still afraid he's understanding everything else all too well. She wants help, but can't ask for it, and it's not only about pride.

This also means something else.

She'd never ask for help for herself.

Her family must be in trouble.

Liam smiles again, for the sake of their acting and to say her, _I'm going to help you, even if I've no idea whats going on_. He takes some steps back and goes down the first step on the white, wooden porch: -I'll see you at school, then-

-Yeah, you do that- mutters Hayden, and hastily closes the door.

Liam turns and walks with his normal pace along the street, all the way to the first trees of the preserve. There, he stops and fishes out his phone. He smells, and he can't sense any trace of Theo. He can feel a wolf, though, but it's a friend presence. Frowning while trying to identify the new-comer, he texts Scott what happened back to Hayden's.

Jackson appears from the top of the trees, still smirking, still with his leather jacket and model-like smile. Liam smiles at him: -What's with you and the tree, man? I thought you said you were a lacrosse player, not a monkey-

The other blond wolf smirks and jumps graciously down, hunching on his calves and straightening back up to a standing position: -I saw you- he announced: -So I guess you didn't come here for another sparring match-

He saw?

Liam frowns: -You saw me at Hayden's?-

Jackson frowns, an odd expression:- Why the hell do you smell like McCall? Your scent is all over you...- and he stops, realization hitting home.

He's the first one who's found out, and Liam freezes.

He wants to remember himself that Hayden is in trouble, that Scott is texting back and worried, and he's going to be ever more worried if Liam doesn't answer him soon, but he can't stop looking at Jackon's horrified expression when he realizes the young beta has slept with Scott.

-Oh man, I knew that sucker wasn't one hundred percent straight. Derek owes me money- he mutters, and then grimaces: -well, you were saying?-

Wow.

 _That's it?_

Liam was actually expecting a little more... hate.

-You.. you saw me at Hayden's place?- he asks again.

Jackson nods: -I was following the wolf that works with the Chimeras-

Liam frowns: -The what?!-

 _Please, don't mean Theo, don't mean Theo, or Hayden is totally screwed._

 _Please, please God, don't tell me Hayden is in danger._

 _I left her alone._

 _She's my friend, and I let her alone. Well, she was my friend, but, whatever, I definitely don't want her dead. Nor transformed in a monster. Please, don't tell me..._

Jackson shifts on his feet: -The wolf you smelt at the girl's place. He works with the Chimeras. I found out that he does and kept following him. Then today you showed up at the girl's front door-

Liam clenches his fists.

-She's in danger, isn't she?-

Jackson doesn't look like one who frequently gives two fucks about people, especially strangers, people he doesn't judge deserving his attention. Hayden definitely doesn't enter the category of people he cares about. Though, his bluish, aqua eyes go soft: -You didn't realized, did you?- he asks: -the girl has already been infected. She already is a Chimera-

Liam's stomach drops, like, a million feet lower.

 _No_ , he thinks. _Hayden is my friends. I don't want her to die._

 _I don't want her to be killed._

 _I don't want to kill her, or for Scott to be the one who has to kill her._

 _That's not fair,_ he thinks too.

Jackson takes a step closer and pats his shoulder: -I'm sorry, man. You better consider her a walking corpse, now. She's not your friend anymore-

-She asked for my help- he unwillingly reveals.

Jackson shrugs, in a more typical manner, a brutally "i don't care" gesture: -Of course, she doesn't want to die, who would? She's already been infected, though. You can't do anything for her-

Scott said he was going to come up with a plan. There must be something we can do to save her. To save the people infected. I don't want to believe they all have to die. We don't even know how many are they.

He frowns, decisiveness taking the lead in his head: -Come with me. We'll go to Scott, tell him what's happening. The pack will come up with something- and he turns to leave, but Jackson isn't following: -I'm not coming to Scott or Stilinski, blondie-

Liam refrains from arguing he's not the only blond between the two of them, and instead settles for quirking up an eyebrow: -What? Why? You know them, I know you do-

Jackson doesn't deny it: -I'm not going to take order from McCall- he spits.

Liam fights against the urge to defend his alpha, or physically maim the blond asshole for insulting his mighty alpha. He swallows it all, and grits his teeth together: -You have to help us. You're attempting at the same goal we are, you want the Chimeras inoffensive and the Doctors dead, as well as we- he tries to be reasonable.

Stiles would be so proud of his oratory skills, a small part of him thinks.

-You know Derek, right?- and Liam knows he does, he mentioned the ex alpha: -So, come with me. Derek's going to be there-

Jackson clenches fists and teeth.

Liam has the vivid impression that "there", with the pack, there's going to be also someone else that the blond beta werewolf, or omega more likely, doesn't want to see. Less than Scott or Stiles, and it's not Derek, since he mentioned the man.

-Ok- agrees Jackson, surprising Liam quite a bit.

-Ok?-

 _Just like that?_

-Well, if you want, I can change my mind- Jackson replies, bitterly.

-No, no- hastily says Liam, bringing up his hands: -great. Now, come. We have a pack meeting to arrange-

TWTWTWTW TWTWTWTWTWTW TWTW

-What the fuck is he doing here?!-

-Stiles!-

-Stiles! You're hurting my eardrums! And who are you?-

-What the fuck is he doing here!-

-Stiles, would you just shut the fuck up, or do I need to rip out your throat?-

-You don't get to tell me what the fuck to do! And I still demand to know what the fuck is he doing here!-

-Enough!-

Scott's loud growl in full alpha mode shuts up everybody, and reins the hell broken loose right after Liam walked at the Sheriff Stilinski's place, with only his son, and the pack of Beacon Hills werewolves, inside.

Liam doesn't really know what to think.

He knew Jackson was an acquaintance with Scott, Stiles, Derek.. the pack. Maybe not Malia, since she's still quite new in town. In her human form, at least. He figured out, from the blonde's reaction, that he wasn't in really good terms with them, but, he admits he wasn't expecting such a bad reaction.

Stiles looks positively livid.

Scott doesn't look happy, but is struggling to wash out any judgment from his expression.

Derek, sitting on the table at the back of the room, looks calm enough that he must already knew Jackson was back to his hometown. And he's also the one winning the award for "beast reaction of the year to Jackson being back", if Liam can add.

Stiles is being physically held by Scott, in the middle of the room, with Malia sitting on his bed, behind them, looking confused and annoyed at the boy's reaction.

Lydia, instead...

Lydia is pale as a ghost.

And Jackson...

Liam turns back to Jackson, and he sees the pretty wolf fighting not to show how uncomfortable he is with the whole situation. Or maybe with her greenish eyes fixed in his blue-aqua ones.

And he gets it, because, he may be a little dense, but he's not stupid. He understands Jackson and Lydia were a thing.

This must also be why Stiles is so mad at him.

It's no secret Stiles is waaaaaaaaay overprotective when it comes to Lydia Martin.

"Dammit, I should have told Scott" he scolds himself.

He turns his back to the new wolf, the one he brought to the pack, and seeks his alpha's deep, dark eyes. They easily find him, too, and he stares at them. The emotions inside are whirling, but then they slow, and finally settle for a steady, intense heat, and Liam feels his heart bit go faster, then slow again, like his wolf is suggesting his alpha's that, should he want him, Liam would be his bitch even in that very moment.

And Liam blushes a bit, because, well.

Isn't that the worst moment.

Derek coughs, and Scott and Liam turns hastily back at him, and yes, they understand in a second they've been out. But the former alpha doesn't say a word aloud, and apparently nobody else understood what's secretly going on between them. It's enough to bring Scott back to focus onto Jackson, tough.

-Jackson- he greets him: -So you're back. Please, sit. Liam, care to share with the class why he's here?-

Jackson doesn't obey Scott.

He frowns, and try to look at everything but Lydia's pale face.

Liam notices the shade of white her knuckles have gone in her clenched fists.

-We know each other. I brought him because he knows about the Chimeras. And, well- he turns back to Jackson: -Tell them. About Theo, and all you know- then he flashes back at Scott again: -Hayden is in trouble, we must help her. And Theo works with the Chimeras-

Scott's eyebrows go up, and Derek smirks: -Didn't you just said to Jackson to tell the story himself?-

Stiles bitterly looks at the former alpha: -Are you defending that scumbag?-

-Shut up, Stiles- bites back Derek, tensing.

-Stiles- pleades Scott: -Calm down-

-Calm down? Calm down?! Have you all forgotten what did this asshole do? Like, left us just when we needed him?-

-You didn't need me- Jackson snarls.

-I did-

Silence.

Stiles is fuming, Scott biting his inner cheek, Malia and Liam keep quiet assuming there's a lot they don't know about, and Derek stares at the floor. Jackson, shoulders tense and hard eyes going back to the beautiful green one Lydia sports, almost blushes, and almost stutters. Almost.

-I know-

And it's barely a whisper.

-But you run away, nonetheless- Lydia's soft voice goes on, her eyes almost empty: -I started getting worse and worse, and you were miles away. You were in another continent- she accuses, eyes refusing to let out the tears staining them: -You didn't even answer me-

Jackson breathes hard through his nose.

Liam looks at Scott, and his alpha stares back at him like he wants him to keep quiet, and just listen.

The situation must be hard enough even without he, or Malia, starting to ask "why" and "what're you all talking about".

-I know- Jackson admits.

Liam is not sure if Jackson is really that much of an asshole, usually, and so it's really a big deal that now he's admitting something, or if he's just stupid, and can't understand it's not enough to answer to the almost crying banshee just like that.

-I'm back now- he adds.

Uh, man, I wouldn't bet on you, Liam thinks.

You really don't look like you're going to get forgiven.

Which is bad, because Jackson emanates power, strength, and they can sure make good use of him if they can confront the Chimeras, the doctors and Theo.

And, Hayden is getting worse every passing moment. They are, indeed, wasting time, sentencing her to death.

But Liam doesn't dare to break this moment.

-I almost died- Lydia accuses, voice just a bit harsher.

Uh, man. Say something, come on.

-I felt you- answers Jackson: -I came back-

-I almost died dozens of time, and you weren't here. If the pack hasn't protected me, I would be dead-

Jackson keeps quiet.

Liam is not sure there's actually something going to sound good, now, or enough to save him.

-I did too- says the blond wolf, after a while, and Stiles scoffs quietly, and Scott flashes him a scowl.

Lydia ignores both of them. Jackson too.

It's like they only see each other, only the eyes of the others.

Liam can feel something between them, like a bond, like a pull.

-I called you back- whispers Lydia, and one, perfect, single tear slips down her cheek, but she refuses to aknowledge it.

Jackson takes one single step closer to the girl, who's not that shorter than him, and stares at her eyes: -I called you back, too- he whispers, and it's like he's telling a secret: -I asked the Coven to keep you safe-

And that's it.

Lydia frowns: -The Coven?-

Derek helps his former beta: -Jackson found his real mother in London- he reveals.

Everybody but Lydia and Jackson turns at Derek with a frown or a surprised expression: -What?-

-So, what?- Stiles asks, quite curious now.

Derek quirks his head to Stiles, but hie eyes go to Jackson's figure, hidden almost entirely by Lydia's body: -She's a witch. She is a member of a Coven, in London. She put a spell on you, Lydia-

Lydia doesn't move, but you can understand she's listening: -Why? How did she knew me? How could she put a spell on someone she's never seen?-

Derek seeks Jackson's eyes, but he doesn't look away from Lydia's ones, and sighs a bit, then a corner of his mouth quirks up. And Liam must admit his features go from handsome to too-good-for-this-world.

Lydia tenses even more: -You're joking. You're joking, right?-

-I'm sorry, Lydia. I swear upon everything you want I am-

Lydia looks a tad bewildered.

Then angry: -What do you want from me? Did you come back just because you though you were going to tell me all this and I'll say yes to you?-

Yes?

Liam feels like he missed something.

Malia, from the bed, looks the same, and she's throwing him an odd glance.

Jackson has the decent idea to swallow and appear troubled: -No. I came back because the Chimeras are here, the Doctors too, and I know they're going to be attracted by your power. The spell isn't enough anymore. I need to keep you safe, and I have to do it in person-

-You poor thing- Lydia's voice is acid right now: -You had to come back just to save my ass. Too bad there's a pack of werewolves, and werecoyote too, who apparently has done a better job while you weren't here-

-They didn't save you from nothing, Lyd. The spell did- replies Jackson, raising his voice.

-I don't even believe there was one, in the first place!- almost shouts Lydia, looking like she's barely keeping herself from slapping him.

Jackson breathes hard.

And he looks down.

-I made some mistakes. You won't forgive me, and I get it. Just- And his eyes are up in Lydia's again: -let me protect you now. We'll talk later- and the smart boy adds: -if you allow me-

Lydia is fuming, but she is also breathing hard through her nose, refraining herself from acting on instinct.

It's like she's counting to the highest number she knows, and, it's Lydia. It's really high. Even if she stops when she gets bored, again, it's Lydia, she can be patient, if the reward is big enough. And vengeance apparently is.

Then she turns to Liam, and her eyes are focused on something else.

-You mentioned Hayden. Did you talk to her?-

And thank god this smart girl has taken the conversation to the point Liam needed it to go, and he starts telling the pack what happened at Hayden's, and what Jackson told him. Eventually, Stiles stops keeping his frown on and arms crossed on his chest, and starts asking questions to both.

Liam can't fail to notice that Lydia sits close to Jackson, even if she ignores the blonde ex boyfriend almost at all.

Jackson doesn't really seem to mind, though.

Liam supposes it's an half victory, to have Lydia hear you out when she could rip your head off at the first time she sees you again.

TWTW TWTWTW TWTWTW TWTWTW TWTW TWTW TWTW TW

Yeah. Uh,... I really love Derek and Stiles bickering around.

And, Lydia and Jackson. That's the only, real couple for me (well, Allison and Scott weren't bad either, but they made her die, so, to bad girl!), and, aren't they the cutest. In general. I hope I made them realistic here too.

Gimme a review please?


	15. Chapter 15

The end is near!

If any of you have any request about how the story should/could possibly go on (after this chapter), you speak now or nevermore! Be aware of the usual stuff: tricky third person narrator, shifting point of view, free indirect thought/speech, and please tell me if you see any mistake, or you think something just doesn't make sense in English.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Whenever Liam thinks of war, he thinks of movies, books, where war is just a narrative tool, an object to represent or paint or describe, something that could be painted in a good or bad way, under an admiring point of view or with an opinion strongly against, in an effective style, or with a totally ineffective one.

Since the bite, though, he's learned that war, actually, is a real thing, war really occurs in the real world, and it's not only something that happens far away, and concerns only politicians and soldiers. Not that last year, with the deadpool and everything, he's felt like in a war, but he's gone quite close to that. If one asks him, Liam would answer that yes, he kinda feel like he knows personally what fighting a war means.

 _And now, here we go again._

Scott is leading the pack to the rescue of Hayden, to take Theo, and, possibly, to bring down the Doctors. The fact that Theo apparently is just a tool has annoyed Stiles, but it also brought the pack to the conclusion that they all need the little fucker alive, to know where the Doctors came from, at least. Plus, the Doctors might be controlled by a third entity, and that's not something easily to discard as a piece of info.

Liam throws a very quick glance to his alpha, standing right next to him, his arm touching Liam's, the skin on skin contact sending sparks of electricity through their systems like it's the first contact ever. Derek is the only one who understood what's going one, since Malia is being distracted by Stiles' bad mood, and Jackson, the only other were-creature that could smell Scott's scent on Liam and vice versa, is paying more attention to Lydia, and keeping her safe. Liam is very much grateful for that. He really doesn't want the pack to know, right there, that there's something going on between the beta and the alpha.

Theo must be taken, Hayden saved, the Doctors stopped. It's not easy as a program, or better, it is, in theory, but it's not that simple to accomplish each voice on the list.

Scott has told them to split, and they're supposed to surround Hayden's house by four points. They know Hayden is still there, with Theo, as well as they know the Doctors aren't there yet, or already, and that's good news, because the less enemies to focus on, the better, especially since they don't know, and cannot, if Hayden is going to turn against them, and attack them, or if she will just stand behind, like any human would... well, except Stiles, who's swirling a baseball bat left and right in his hand.

Scott is with Liam, not because it is a very rational choice, since actually it would be better the other way around, probably. Liam is the second strongest the pack has. But now there are Derek and Jackson too, so Scott might think it's not that bad if he keeps the only beta he has with himself. Liam sure wouldn't want to be anywhere else but there.

They're going in from the front door, attracting Theo's main attention, hopefully.

From left and right, Derek and Stiles are supposed to sneak in the house, and Lydia and Jackson.

Malia is taking care of the back of the house, to be sure Theo, a crazy Hayden or whoever else, can escape from that side. She's alone, but she doesn't mind. Stiles has protested, asked someone to back her, but they don't have anyone else, and so their werecoyote has ended up on her own. She really doesn't care, she says, and actually she feels more free and comfortable that way.

Maybe, has said Stiles.

Let her be, has said Derek.

Liam, who was having some strange doubts before, is more and more sure that's something is going on between Stiles, the only Hale left, and the half Hale too. Too bad he can't figure out what is really happening. Lydia would, she would understand it in a minute, but her attention seems snapping from the Doctors, the might threat they represent, and Jackson, whose presence she acts like she doesn't like, but her body and scent says otherwise.

Liam swallows saliva, tension and worry.

-We'll manage, Liam- Scott whispers softly under his breath, without taking off his red eyes from the front door.

Liam nods:-I know-

That totally is not true, but he needs to lie to himself, in order to give himself courage.

Everything happens in a flash.

Scott frowns.

Liam smells something metallic, and, alarmed, turns to his alpha:-Scott..-

But Scott charges in that very moment.

Liam follows him, and Derek and Stiles too, from the left.

They barely have the time to land on the floor that they see Theo launching himself from the back door.

-Malia!- Scott growls, and runs to back up the young werecoyote.

Liam would like to follow his alpha, but his eyes are fixed on the floor.

Jackson, outside the left side of the house, growls and snarls and then whimpers softly, Lydia shouts and cries, and Liam smells blood, fear, sadness, _'don't let me die here'_ fear and ' _please don't die'_ fear.

His brain struggles to distinguish between the feelings and sensations he's perceiving.

Hayden is on the floor.

Liam's brain suggests she's dead, and she must have been killed just a few seconds before they broke in, because her body is still warm, the fear and the other feelings she felt still enveloping her figure, and Derek is blocking Stiles between his arms.

Liam cocks his head.

Stiles isn't shouting and crying and trashing for Hayden.

Stiles isn't even looking at Hayden's dead body to the floor, like he hasn't managed to figure out she's lying there, yet. No, Derek is keeping him from launching himself where Scott has gone, outside, from the back door, where the air smells of other blood. Not the tainted blood that Hayden is oozing now, red and silverish, but the copperish smell of a werewolf.

It's coming from their left, and from the back door.

Liam walks the few steps that lead him to the open door, and stops before the back stairs, he white of the stone reddish from blood.

Malia is on the floor, Scott keeping her head up, and her hair has never looked so long to Liam.

Because her head is bent in an unnatural way, too thrown back, like it's not attached anymore to the rest of the body through the neck.

Scott is hunched over Malia's chest, and smells like blood and fear and guilt and regret and pain.

Liam bats his lashes, and tries to see.

Stiles is throwing around waves of pain and sorrow and regret and guilt and 'no no no no no no'.

From the left, Lydia is crying, and asks for them.

Malia is dead, throat slashed, ripped open by what looks like a nasty cut that belongs to a werewolf's hand. Her hair moves lightly to the faint breeze, and Stiles collapses between Derek's arms, sobbing silently, and Liam asks himself how much time has passed.

He turns back and look at Hayden dead body.

He can't believe it.

It was so fast...

They were there.

How did Theo manage to kill the girl, when they were right outside the house?

How did he managed to kill Malia?

Liam knows the girl isn't the strongest in the pack, but she is ( _was?_ ) a good fighter, and it's impossible she would have gone down in such an easy way. Trivial, even. Liam doesn't understand.

They were supposed to save Hayden.

Now she's dead, and Malia too.

And Lydia is still crying, and, Liam snaps back from the shock, because Derek is calling him.

Telling him to check on Lydia, who's still crying outside and asking for help.

Derek moves Stiles between his arms, and carries him bridal style.

Liam jumps out the window to check on Lydia.

He hears the ex-alpha telling Scott to bring Malia's body and take her away from there.

Liam squeezes his eyes.

Lydia is on the floor, on her knees, Jackson's bloody shirt ripped, tears staining her pale face and splashing make up along their falling. Liam doesn't understand what's happened, and kneels next to the werewolf. Jackson's pained expression and gritted teeth tell him the blond wolf is alive, still, but that the wound is a bad one.

Liam strips quickly of his shirt and rips it in two, trying to tie them against Jackson's chest and bandage the tear in some way.

-Lydia- he calls at her, and she's keeping crying and trembling but she looks at him, like she's trying to fight back the shock: -help me get him up- we must go away- Liam hears himself say, mechanically.

She nods, but she struggles even to stand and walk herself. She's not hurt, though, and Liam doesn't mind even if he has to carry Jackson dead weight all by himself.

The blond wolf tries to walk, but he's leaning all his weight on the younger beta.

-What the hell happened? Why are you hurt?- asks Derek, while they're running back to Stiles place.

The sheriff's house is empty, the car nowhere in sight.

Liam doesn't know if it would be better to have Stilinski Senior there, or not.

Scott goes for the couch, and gently lay Malia's dead body, already getting colder and colder, the blood getting darker and darker, drenching clothes but not flowing out anymore. Liam wonders why it has stopped coming out, already. He thought a wound like that would mean a lot of blood everywhere, but Malia's cut is getting drier and drier by any passing minute. Like she didn't have that much blood in her tiny body, after all.

Stiles is still in Derek's arms, and the ex alpha doesn't make a move like dropping him, or putting him on the love seat, or even the floor. He keeps holding him, and Stiles doesn't move, and Derek doesn't look like he's struggling in the least with his weight.

Stiles' cheeks are wet of tears and he smells like something has broken inside him.

Derek rocks him now and then, like he's trying to shield the young human from his own feelings.

-I don't understand what's happened- confesses Scott, looking up from Malia's body, sitting at her feet: -How did he manage to be that fast?-

Derek shakes his head: -I don't understand either-

Liam has Jackson lying on the other sofa, and Lydia kneels on the floor, close to his face, still pressing the ruined shirt on the wound: -Lyd- Jackson's voice makes her head snaps up, and she doesn't react to his soft smile: -Lyd, I'm ok. It's already healing, I swear-

She doesn't seem to buy it, although it's true, and Liam can feel it too: -Lydia, it's true- he whispers, his own voice surprising himself for how hoarse and low it has gone, like he's not spoken for ages.

-How did you end up hurt?- Scott asks Jackson: -it couldn't be Theo. He moved in the other direction-

Jackson shakes his head no, and tries to seat, Lydia's arm flying strongly to stop him:-Don't you dare- she whispers, and he gives up, smile getting a bit warmer: -It wasn't that bastard. I think it was a spell. It broke my protections... I didn't think I would need strong ones. Stupid move, I guess- he grimaces while speaking.

Liam frowns: protection? Spell?

 _Oh, no, not magic,_ Liam really doesn't like when magic is concerned.

Well. Not that there's much to like, in their current situation.

-Whatever it was, it was aimed to me- Lydia whispers.

The 'to kill me' is really not necessary, and everybody is thinking it nonetheless, as she did mention it.

Jackson nods: -This is why I told you I needed to protect you-

There's something going on between those two, Liam recognizes, assisting to the silent conversation between the green and blue eyes.

Then Scott sighs and Liam kneels beside him, on the floor: -What do we do?-

Scott's hand come up and rest on the back of Liam's head, gently combing his hair with the fingers: -I don't know- he confesses: -We need to understand who we are facing. It was Theo, but I don't believe he can do spells. And I really don't see the Doctors like the types to cast spells, for that matter-

Derek sighs and Stiles stirs in his arms, so the werewolf drops him gently on a love seat, standing close to his side: -You ok?- he asks, voice gruff and Stiles nods, and finally, finally, after something like an ocean of waiting time from everyone else, he scoffs and smirks: -What do you say?-

And nobody, not even Jackson and Lydia, manage to repress a small smile to the relief of hearing him being sarcastic again.

-I just... How did it happen? Why was she alone? Why did we leave her alone?-

Scott shakes his head: -It's my fault, Stiles-

-No- Stiles says, in a dead and broken whisper: -No, she decided she didn't need anyone. She was ok with that. She suggested it, Scott- he's trying to rationalize: -If Jackson weren't with Lydia, Lydia would be dead now. Or Liam. No, Scott... it's not your fault- Stiles' big chestnut eyes have never looked so hollow and haunted, like he's partly responsible: -one would say it's fate- he whispers, and Derek frowns, but then Stiles' anger sneaks in, and the older werewolf doesn't interrupt: -it was Theo. It was that sick fucker, it was that bastard, and I'm gonna kill him-

-Yeah, well- Jackson interrupts him: -you might wanna slow down on that, tiger. You're not going to even tickle him, even with all the good intentions you have-

-Agree- mutters Derek, quite gloomy.

-I just- says Liam, and his voice dies. He rests his cheek on Scott's jeans, and sighs. He closes his eyes and lets himself cry: -I don't understand. We were going to save her, and now Malia's one too-

Scott's hand is gentle on Liam's scalp, but it's not bringing Hayden or Malia back from the death.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Now, I know, it's lame to kill characters in order to make other things in the plot possible, but, well, as everything else, I hope that at least it wasn't that much lame. Read and Review please?

Yours sincerely,

Vereor Black King 3


	16. Chapter 16

Guys!

Here we go.

If any of you have any request about how the story should/could possibly go on (after this chapter), let me know. Be aware of the usual stuff: tricky third person narrator, shifting point of view, free indirect thought/speech, and please tell me if you see any mistake, or you think something just doesn't make sense in English.

 _And all the suffering that you've witnessed  
And the hand prints on the wall  
They remind you how it's endless  
How endlessly you fall_

 _Then the answer that you're seeking  
For the question that you found  
Drives you further to confusion  
As you lose your sense of ground_

 _So don't forget to breathe  
Don't forget to breathe  
Your whole life is here  
No eleventh hour reprieve  
So don't forget to breathe _

(Alexi Murdoch, _Breathe_ )

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He used to suffer from panic attacks. He has not yet stopped experiencing them, actually. The last one that shook him was when he was with Lydia, and there was a freaking deadpool with his name on it. And hers. And his best friends' too. So yeah, he has spent quite a long time without having to deal with them, but it's nothing new when he feel them coming, again. He knows what's happening, when the sudden constricting pain in his abs spread and makes him feel like he can't breath, and none of the air he tries so desperately to inhale will flow through his lungs.

He knows what's happening. He does.

He wills himself to slow down his breathing, to lie down and wait for the attack to pass, but his body goes tense, and he can't but lie there and hyperventilate and it's horrible, because he knows what's happening and he can't stop, and, on top of that, he can see Malia's dead eyes, those sweet deep strong eyes going colder and colder, her face going more and more pale, her body, her hands getting so tense, and cold, and lifeless, and Stiles can't but feel and hear and know her voice blaming him for her death...

And for feeling Derek right behind him, strong arms swirling on his chest, encasing Stiles and keeping him away from the dead body on the floor.

He can feel it, even if nobody else hears it, he knows Malia is whispering how dare you, and really, how dared he? How dared he believe and hope that she died, so that he could go on and live his happy life with Derek fucking Hale, supposed mate of his?

Oh God.

The air refuses to go through Stiles's lungs, and he just rolls down the edge of the bath tube, where he sat, door closed, key turned, blocking everybody out, blocking Scott, blocking Derek...

Trying to soften the loud noise of Malia's voice shouting and accusing, and rightly so, that Stiles is benefitting from her death, and he is such an horrible human being, he is even worse than when he was possessed, because, at least, then he could forgive himself, and be forgiven by the others, because he wasn't in control of his body, but now... Now he is, and now he did, now he let Malia die, and she's gone, she's still and breathless and pale and cold and dead on his sofa in his fucking living room, Scott a mute presence by her feet, and she's dead, she's dead, her tiny smirk like Peter's, her witty smiles and deep eyes staring at him and her unbelievable candor, gone, gone, gone, it's all freaking gone, and he's... he is... he is...

He is...

He closes his eyes.

He slides down the side of the tube, legs against his chest, bottom hitting the cold tile floor, eyes closed. He tries to breath, to breath, to breath, but the air just doesn't go in, and his head spins, and he pants, and pants, and tries to catch his breath, dammit, but it's like he has forgot how to, air just slipping through his grasping fingers and lungs and mouth and, and, and...

He falls down, on his side, gasping, panting, but it's useless, useless, useless, and Malia's dead, and he tries to, he tries to, he tries to...

Derek perks his ears.

Stiles has asked him to leave him alone. He headed for the restroom, and Derek just left him be. Mate or not, if the man needs a break, Derek won't force himself on the young human, especially since he's so fragile, in this moment. So, he left the human go, let him close the door between them, let him turn the key and figuratively put some distance between them.

He's returned downstairs, where Scott is still struggling to recover and go back into Alpha mode, and wrap up the whole situation, the mess they're in. He's left alone the human in the restroom, even if he heard the crying, the soft sobbing, and the smell of tears and sadness. He left, because that tiny, scrawny little human has always shown such an inner strength, and now he's shattered down in a million pieces, and it's because of a dead girl, and Derek feels like he should be sadder, for her, who's family, after all, and feels guilty, because he, honest to God, doesn't feel all that sorry.

And that's so... cruel.

But, he's not human.

And cruelty isn't that much of a stranger, for him. She's family, she was, that's true, but he's never seen her. Even if he had, she was, still is, so similar to his uncle Peter that he couldn't but hate her even more. Not that he 'hate' her, or 'hated'. Hate is such a strong word. He just didn't like her, as you don't like a rival, and a rival she was. He's not happy, now that she's dead and he can have his mate all for himself, now. No, he is not celebrating the fall of the threat. He's just waiting.

He's waiting for Scott to wrap up his pain and guilt and shock, and to re-elaborate a plan, a better one, and finally managing to bring down the little sick fucker that managed to have also Braeden killed.

He's waiting for his old first beta, currently lying on a couch with Lydia right beside him, to heal and regain his strength, so that he can join the fight.

He's waiting that Liam, the amazing beta resting his head on Scott's tight (and, seriously, could they be more obvious?), to get obver the shock and the pain of the loss and get back in the usual, fighter mode.

Derek frowns. This pack is made of fighters. Scott, Liam, Jackson, Lydia. Himself, even if he doesn't still consider himself one hundred percent part of the pack, although he knows he doesn't have much choice, now, that he found his mate here. And then there's his mate, indeed.

The little, helpless human that has proved to be one of the strongest, most stubborn, most intelligent creature Derek has ever dealt with. His own mother would be so proud, that Derek has found such a good mate. Derek's pretty sure she would also like the boy, personally. He'd like so much to show her...

But none of that matters now.

His mate, upstairs, is drenching himself in sorrow and pain and guilt.

And Derek frowns again, because that's not a good sign. He's been hoping that, after some 'alone time', the human would try to stem the pain, the guilt, the sorrow, the loss, whatever, and would come downstairs, and join the pack. Instead, Derek can hear Stiles' breath getting more and more shaky, short, and shallow, like...

Realization hits him like a truck (which, actually, once happened. And it hurt).

Stiles' having a panic attack, and he's hyperventilating.

'Dammit!'

He bolts back upstairs and reaches for the door behind which Stiles must be on the floor, shaking and rasping and panting and sobbing and, he grabs at the handle, but the damned thing doesn't budge, because it's close, and, why did he allow his mate to close the frigging door in the first place!

He kicks it, holding it, so that he doesn't risk to have it fall right on Stiles, and, it was a smart move, as his human is lying in the floor, panting and trying to breath but only ending up hyperventilating more and more.

Stiles doesn't even lift up his head, but Derek sees his shoulders flinch. He doesn't care. He doesn't care if the boy doesn't want him there. He scoops him up in his arms, lifts him and sits on the bed, with the human secure in his arms. He turns him, and starts whispering soft, reassuring stupid things in his ears, while patting him and rubbing his arms and back and head, and forces him to close that mouth and breath through his nose, compelling him to follow the rhythm Derek set.

Stiles locks eyes with him, and scared, terrorized hazel stares up in green.

Stiles struggles a bit, but manages to regain control, and, shaking for the effort, falls against Derek's shoulder.

Derek doesn't mind.

He likes hugging his mate. He adjusts the boy against his chest, and kisses his temple.

Stiles' hair is soft and dark and smells good.

As does his skin.

And clothes.

And the whole house.

And the hands whose fingers are clutched around Derek's shirt.

He kisses his temple, and murmurs softly and starts making soft noise which are awefully close to the soft purr of his mom's lullaby, when she was singing in her black wolf form.

Stiles smirks against Derek's shoulder.

Derek likes it.

-Weird- he mutters: -I thought you were a wolf, not a cat-

Derek chuckles lighlty.

-And, you owe me a door, by the way- the human adds.

-I can build you another one- Derek suggests.

-Can you, really? I'd never taken you for a carpenter-

Derek shrugs: -What can I say, I like DIY-

Stiles chuckles too, and then sighs, but doesn't speak.

Derek can feel the need for talking and, gently nudges Stiles' head with the tip of his nose, so that he can stare straight into his eyes. He doesn't need to articulate. Stiles understand, and sighs slowly.

-When my mum died...-

Derek hugs him more: -When she died, I was little. I was in primary school. I remember... I remember looking her go. Saw her wither away, like a flower when winter's coming. It was... - he sighs: -I didn't like it. And, after that... every time I felt like laughing, I used to feel so guilty... because she was gone, and... how could I want to laugh when she wasn't there anymore?- he asks himself with a tiny, sad smirk, and then closes his eyes, head on Derek's shoulder again: -I'm sorry. I shouldn't say any of this to you, after what you lost-

Derek kisses his hair again: -I know how you felt, Stiles. And I know how do you feel now-

Stiles goes tense, and then relaxes visibly, and sighs again.

They hear the front door sliding open, and even Stiles, with his human hearing, can notice the Sheriff has come back home. He can hear Scott's voice, but he can't figure out what he's saying.

He just looks up at Derek, and the wolf pecks him on his forehead again, and fills him in: -Scott's telling your father that he's called his mother, and told her about Malia. Your father's saying they're coming up with a plan to leave her somewhere safe, and have somebody find her, so that you don't end up somehow involved in what's happened-

Stiles listens, and nods.

Derek pecks him again, on the forehead: -I'm sorry for what you're feeling. I'm sorry also for her. She didn't deserve it. No one would-

Stiles nods again.

Derek pecks him again.

Stiles goes a bit tense.

Derek pecks him again.

-Oh, fuck it- Stiles mutters, and lifts his head. Slithers a hand behind Derek's head. Drags him down, to his face.

And kisses him.

Hard, on his lips, opening his mouth, letting Derek's lips claim his, and his tongue slide in.

And, man, does he taste good.

And yes, he still feels guilty as hell.

He still feels broken and divided between the need to mourn for Malia's death, and to celebrate Derek and him finally managing to reach what was supposed to be for them.

But he doesn't care.

For this short time, he lets himself not care.

And if he'll regrets it later, well, too bad, it's definitely a kiss worth of it.

TWTWTWTW TWTWTW TWTWTW TWTWTW TWTWTWTW TWTWTWTW TW

Well. Let me know. How did you find it?

Were the shifts between characters clear enough?

See you next time!

VBK


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry. I know, late.

I lost hope with this story, I was afraid I'd never finished, and, then, here the inspiration struck. Lucky you!

As always, mind the shifting point of view and inner thought/discourse/speech/whatever.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

He remembers his English literature teacher quoting some classic author that wrote a line like "in time of war, everything is licit". He remembers that he didn't like the guy, and the author too, considering that his brain didn't put up with the effort of memorizing the writer's name. More difficult task would be to forget the mousy face of that creepy old man of his teacher. Funny how he's thinking about them, at this very moment, considering that he really should focus on more important, pressing, pivotal things. As, how to stay alive, or, how to deal with the dead body of one of their friends lying on the couch, or, how is it with Stiles and Derek that are upstairs and, if Liam's nose is doing its job correctly, and it is, are even getting on with it.

Upstairs.

The pack just down the stairs.

Only the ceiling between them.

And Stiles' dead ex (apparently) girlfriend on the couch.

Liam doesn't want to be cruel, but, how can you seriously do something like that?

He knows that sometime, according to movies and songs and books, and whatever other source his brain did pick the piece of info from, experiencing death might push human beings closer to life, hence, sex, hence the fucking going on above them.

But, Jesus Christ, holy sweet mother of Christ, how can Stiles be moaning Derek's name like _that_ , which by the way is disturbing enough, and even eerily turning Liam a bit on, when there's still Malia's death body's smell lingering in the whole house?!

Maybe it's because Stiles isn't a wolf, and can't really smell it.

He can't know he's providing the pack a _vivid_ description of where those "Ah, yes, oh god Derek, yes" are coming from, and neither he could imagine, Liam guesses, that his mate's scent is permeating the whole upstairs floor.

Which is a thought, that, actually, strikes Liam dead on the spot.

He's sitting on the wooden floor, close to where Scott feet are, and he frowns, turning a bit to look for his alpha's eyes.

Thank god the sheriff has already headed out for the hospital, where Scott's mother is taking care of Malia's body.

Liam locks eyes with his alpha's deep brown stare, and he gulps.

First, because yes, Stiles' moan are undoubtedly turning him on a bit.

Second, because they're affecting his alpha too, and, wow, that's weird, in both a good and nasty way.

Third, because the corner of his alpha's mouth are sliding up a tiny bit, in a smirk that tells Liam everything about their owner knowing what's going on upstairs, and the scent telling them Derek found a mate, and fourth, because they tell him their owner has picked up on the scent too.

On the other couch, Jackson groans and tries slowly to sit. Lydia doesn't encourage him, nor she slows him down, just observing his movements and then sitting closer to him. Her green, deep eyes are fixed on the boy next to her, and her plump bottom lip is straightened in a tiny grimace.

-I can't believe he's making me this- Jackson groans, and pulls a face.

Scott turns to him, eyebrow cocked: -Who, and what?-

-Derek, man. I can't believe he's fucking Stilinski with me right down here- he moans in disgust, and then he raises his voice: -He fucking swore to me he'd gone down the little shit where I would not have to listen, smell and see that abomination going on! Man! Hey!- he's shouting right now, and Derek is so hearing him, even through Stiles' moan and his own groans. Or maybe not, right because of those: -Derek! For fuck's sake!-

Scott frowns a bit, but Liam can't refrain the smile, because, come on, that's funny: -What, you jealous?-

Jackson throws him a deadly glare: -Don't you dare say shit like that. I might be into guys, but I will never be into Stilinski's type of nerds- he replies, and then scoffs, giving up his attempt to politely ask Derek to tune down his mate's noises.

Lydia's hand reaches his blond hair and combs it so that the short fringe doesn't fall in his eyes: -I thought you'd said nobody was ever going to know that- she playfully whispers.

Her voice has been so soft, since they've been back from the attack.

Weird how that's happening to a banshee, right? Those are famous for shouting and crying, Liam thinks. Maybe it's the shock, he thinks again, and, man, he doesn't like the idea of Lydia under shock.

He feels the immediate urge to reach her and hug her and comfort her, and that's weird, because he and Lydia aren't that close... But she's pack too. Plus, she is really showing that she's into something alike shock, because Jackson opens his arms and hints for her to lie down on his chest. Lydia, the strongest and proudest woman that Liam has ever seen, complies, leaning down on Jackson's chest, legs lined and entwined with his.

Wow, that's something. Lydia's never been affectionate with anybody, in public, especially.

Jackson strokes her hair, letting her hide her face in his shirt, and Liam forces himself not to smile at how cute is the picture they make, when the strong smell of 'mate' reaches his nose again. And it doesn't come from upstairs, but from the very couch where the pair is lying.

He slowly glances at Scott, who must have sensed it too: -So, let me sum this a bit. Derek and Stiles... and, I wonder how did I not see that coming, and- he locks eyes with Jackson's bright ones: -You two?-

Jackson's jaw clenches, like he's biting on his own tongue, restraining himself from biting back some nasty remark: -Yes- he mutters after a bit: -You got a problem with that?-

-Well, yes- Scott replies, and Liam, frowning, looks at his alpha's face.

Why would he have any problem with that?

Doesn't he see how the two of them are perfect?

-She's my pack, and you left her. You hurt her. I don't care if you're each other mates, if you hurt her again, I swear on everything, Jackson, I'm going to track you down, and you'll pray I won't find you-

And, wow, Liam might even feel a tiny bit jealous at how territorial and protective Scott is.

Lydia chuckles, and smiles against Jackson, but she doesn't move, so Liam can't be sure she's really smiling. She smells and hears like she's doing it, though: -No need for that, Scott. Jackson here is not going anywhere, any time soon. Right, Jackie?-

Her voice hardens a bit towards the end, and at the same time falters, and Jackson's cheeks go definitely red. Which, even if Liam doesn't know the guy that much, must be quite a sight, because Scott is smirking wider, and Lydia smells like she's almost gloating.

-Right, Lyds- Jackson whispers, eyes focusing on her light hair he's still stroking.

Pause.

Awkward silence.

Well, silence, besides Stiles' upstairs not enough muffled by the floor "Jesus, Derek, fucking fuck, please, you crazy fucker, please, you sadist motherfucker".

-Well, I'd say more 'Stilesfucker'- Lydia jokes, and Jackson grimaces again: -I'm so going to make Derek pay for this-

-You two seem pretty close- Lydia whispers, voice finally normal, just muffles by Jackson's flesh and clothes.

-Well, we became, after, you know. I didn't die, and, before I went to London- he trails off.

Scott frowns again: -Would you mind explaining again you going to London, finding your family, getting involved with witches and coming back here?-

-Yes, please- Liam joins: -An explanation would be lovely. At least there'd be some noise covering Stiles' making one-

Scott chuckles: -Come on guys. Let's go in the kitchen. At least there we won't hear him so much like we're in the same room... I hope-

he stands, offers Liam his hand to grab and lifts him up.

Scott hand feels always good, on Liam's.

Now, it feels even better.

Ok, maybe he's really getting a bit turned on by the noise from upstairs, but, hey, it's a teenager, Scott's freaking gorgeous, who could blame him for desiring some sweet sex again?

Or rough, Liam is good with rough too, and he can so vividly remember Scott manhandling him in bed last time...

-Hey!- Jackson swats Liam not so lightly in the back of his head: -Don't start getting a boner, you too! Having to bear with the two upstairs is totally enough. I don't need to know how Scott's turning you on right now-

Lydia, walking right beside Jackson, burst into a laughing fit that, even if Liam is utterly embarrassed and so bright red that he feels he's dying or reincarnated in an apple, it's really a sound that fills him with relief, because, hey, Lydia is smiling. No, she's more, she's laughing. Things can't be that bad, right?

Beside Jackson just exposing him and Scott, he means.

-What, wha... Wait, no, what?- Liam mutters, in shock.

Scott, cheeks a bit darkened, and not only in embarrassment, Liam notices, which turns him on so much more, chuckles: -Well, you got Lydia, you don't have the right to talk, man- he shrugs, and struts, and yeah, he's _so_ strutting, Liam is _so_ going to tease him later for that, and his mighty alpha can try and say whatever he feels like in his own defense, but he's strutting, pride showing and shining like a light radiating from his body, and, how hot is that? Oh my god, can Liam get even more turned on? Oh please, somebody switches off the sexual tension that's building up, or he's coming in his pants in the next twenty minutes.

Lydia, hand in hand with Jackson, sits at the chairs of the table and motions for Jackson to sit on the one next to her, and cocks her head slightly up: -So, you two?- she asks Scott: -That's why you weren't putting that much effort into Kira?-

Scott reddens more, and she gloats, smirking devilishly.

Yes, everything back to normal.

Beside the fucking still going on upstairs (is Stiles even going to come out alive from that, let alone be able to walk?) and the dead body that Scott's mom and Stiles' dad are dealing with at the hospital.

Oh well. It's not their life when there aren't dead bodies nearby. Too bad sometime they are their friends'.

Bummer. Call that a joy killer thought.

And it hasn't even turned off his erection, apparently.

Now, _that's_ weird.

When you're becoming so accustomed to death that your own body doesn't get affected by it anymore.

Weird, and scary.

That's maybe more effective as a joy killer thought, too.

Jackson sighs, interrupting Liam's train of thoughts: -Well, you see, I went to London. I met with a few werewolves, just because, apparently, I'm that lucky. And yes, McCall, before you ask, yes, I was being sarcastic. I wanted to leave all this shit aside, walk out from it... Funny how I wanted it so much before, uh?- He smirks to himself: -Anyway, I run, totally by chance, into a werewolf. He pissed me off, I did it too, and, well, we fought. And then we stopped, and we decided, why fighting when you can be friends? So, yeah, that's how I met David. He's a fucker. He's noisy, and weird, and crazy, and I hate him because he's older than me and he's always at the fucking center of everyone's world. He's a college guy already, and, man, he's a fucking freshman, but everybody _knows_ him and _adores_ him.-

Yes, Liam doesn't need to know Jackson that much for understanding that he, kind of, live on the attention people give him.

-Well, I might have been a bit jealous, in the end- Jackson admits, and Lydia and Scott scoff at the same time. Liam just smiles: -but he's a good friend. A very good one. He showed me everything about the supernatural in London that I haven't figured out myself, and, you've no idea... It was a lot. Derek taught me how to pinpoint other werewolves, and, ask him, well, maybe once he's done with Stilinski. Ask him, he'll tell you, I'm good and finding out a werewolf when there's one closer than a few miles. I was proud of that, too.-

-I sense a 'but' coming- Scott interrupts.

Jackson swallows saliva: -Yeah. Well, it turned out that there were so many werewolves that I could have never tracked, because they all wear this spell. It kind of switch off their scent, so no creature can pinpoint them as werewolves. It's in some piece of jewelry, a ring, a bracelet, necklace, whatever. David had one too, but, apparently, he wasn't wearing it the night I found him. He showed me, though, and once he's told me the story, he started wearing it again, because, you know... Hunters. Much many more than here in Beacon Hill, because, London, you know. It's huge. And the hunters are consequently a lot. You've gotta wear the protection. The shielding spell. He started wearing it again, and I asked him why the hell I suddenly wasn't able anymore to track him. He had this ring, you know. He told me it was the spelled one. I asked him for one, too-

Scott scoffs: -That sounds so much like when you asked Derek for the bite-

Surprisingly, Jackson rolls his eyes but admits the truth: -Yeah, it does. Well, David explained me, that kind of spell needs a particular power, a particular performer, to be cast. It requires a witch. And that's how I found witches-

-The Coven?- asks Lydia.

Jackson nods: -Yes. David took me to their... well, let's call it 'gathering place'. It's a fucking horror movie place, though. Anyway, witches do not cast the spell for free. They test you. If you pass, they grant you your protection. If you don't want to get in league with them, you gotta find an alpha, but it's freaking difficult, and so much dangerous. In the end, everyone just turns to them. They test you, easy stuff to see what's special about you, and if they think you are worthy, they cast the spell on a piece of something you give them, and that's the thing that's protecting you from that moment on-

-What did you use?- asks Lydia, curious.

Jackson pauses, and fists his shirt, sliding out the long chain of a necklace with a key hanging at the bottom. A key of a house. And Lydia's eyes grow huge, as Jackson's cheeks get a bit red, his eyes sad.

-I started hanging out with a bunch of other werewolves. Like, friends, you know. There was a witch among them, a girl of our age. She was...- he scoffs: -She was a pain in the ass, but she was quite, and that was a welcomed thing. David wasn't the only one who thrives on the attention...-

-What happened?- Scott prompts him.

-Well, one day, a group of hunters tracked us right after school. Of those werewolves I mentioned, only David was already attending college, we all went to the same high school. It was a pretty easy task for them to figure out the school, and find out all of us, you know. We where all there- he pauses again, and swallows hard: -The witch died. Also a lot of the wolves, but, you see, witches don't really care of anything besides their own kind. Which makes some sense, too, but, anyhow. I managed to survive. David found me, and I was... in a bad shape. He took me to the Coven, again. I was a witness, so they didn't whip my ass for letting one of them being killed. And, well... That's how I met my mother-

Scott frowns: -She's a witch in the Coven?-

-Yep. She was the one who kept asking me stuff. The one interrogating me. And, I'll never know how she did, but... she figured out I'm her son. Of course, I was all like "you're crazy, that's impossible", but, well, long story short, she demonstrated me she really is my mother-

Liam nods, eyes big: -Wow. Talk about luck-

-Well, yes and no. She's... not a good person- Jackson admits, and he starts caressing Lydia's hand in his own: -But, she had me tracked and checked. I was already a wolf, there was no way I could... dis-werewolf-ized myself and transform into a witch. But, as she said, apparently I should have never been bitten, so that I would have ended up naturally being a witch like her, as in, being able to do that kind of magic. But, you know. I screw up- he smirks, like he's not sorry at all for ruining his mother's plan about him: -And now she's left to deal with a newly found son, who should have been a witch, but it's a wolf-

-I take it she wasn't happy- Lydia comments softly.

-I can say that she wasn't. But she couldn't do anything about it. Well, she tried, but she didn't succeeded. Lucky me-

Lydia frowns, but Jackson doesn't add anything about that, and goes on: -We found out the hunters had been helped. They did find us, because someone told them where to find a bunch of werewolves and a witch. And, guess who told them?-

Three sets of eyes prompts him to fucking tell them: -Well, the Doctors. They were in London, they were... crazy maniacs experimenting with nature and supernatural, and they wanted the body of a witch too. Too bad they weren't aware of the detail that, you know... to keep them dead, hunters burn witches, whether they're alive or dead-

-Ouch- Liam lets out: -That didn't work out too good for them-

-That totally didn't. Plus, they managed to piss off a freaking huge witch Coven. So they... flew here, to save their asses. And, because the Coven has them tracked, I was told they were heading here, to Beacon Hill. And I knew, because it was so natural, that they'd try to do something with you guys. So, I went to my mother, asked and prayed and implored her to do something about it. She sais, 'fine, I'm setting a protecting spell for one person, but for one only. I don't care who you pick, it's going to be only that one'. And, I chose you- Jackson ends saying looking Lydia in the eyes, like he's telling something very easy, and not that he's asked her newly found mother to protect and save his ex-girlfriend life.

Which, by the way, apparently has an additional meaning for Scott too, because: -Wait. You... you knew she wasn't human?-

Ah, that's what Lydia must be thinking!

Liam can see the brain under her hair working furiously over all the piece of info she got, and coming to that same conclusion: -How did you...?- she asks.

Jackson shrugs: -I don't know. I always knew. I thought you were some kind of siren, though, to be honest-

Lydia bats her lashes for a bit: -How... how long did you...?-

-First time I've seen you- it's Jackson' smug reply.

Wow.

How did he knew that?

Lydia doesn't smell differently from any other human, Liam thinks.

But then, maybe Jackson knew it, not because he was a werewolf, which, apparently, he wasn't yet, but because he was a witch.

Shit.

-This is getting real crazy- he mutters.

Jackson, _Jackson_ of all people, nods. The former witch, who, if he doesn't remember wrong, has also been a Kanima, for some time.

Scott nods: -Ok, I get it. I get everything, except the part where we decide how to get rid of the doctors-

Ah, right.

There's also that.

Jackson nods: -You see, they manipulate human, and supernatural creatures. They know hunters and druids and witches and... but they're still human-

Liam perks his ears: -So, they're easier to kill-

Wow, that's _so_ _crude_ , especially coming from the youngest of them all.

Scott and Lydia are grimacing like that's exactly what they're thinking, and he cringes a bit, realizing how bad it sounded. Coming from him, or not.

But, that's true.

Jackson shrugs: -Yep, that was my point-

Nobody seems shocked that _he_ says that, and that's another thing making Liam consider he should think more wisely before befriend blond stranger who plays good lacrosse.

The good times when he was stuck with Mason...

In the silence that has fallen, they also notice something else.

Scott chuckles, and Jackson smirks: -So, they stopped-

Lydia chuckles, and then her and Scott's chuckling become a real laughing, when their eyes meet.

Oh my, Liam thinks.

He really doesn't envy Stiles, for the very moment he has to come down those stairs and confront his friends after all those fucking (never have words been more appropriate!) noise he just finished making.

But, hey.

You make your own bed, you go lie in it.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

for those of you who are fan of Sterek: Yes, Stiles' still alive. And yes, smut's not only hinted is going to come. Oh, the joke.

For those of you who are fan of Sciam: Yes, it's coming. It's all gonna come. Again. Oh, the pun.

And then, this story is finally going to end. Omg, it was a drag. Still being. I hope at least it's still good. Please, LET ME KNOW with some review what you think.

Yours Sincerely Dark Lord Proud Of Themself,

VBK


	18. Chapter 18

Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?  
Swear up and down to God above  
That you finally fall in love  
If today was your last day

(Nickelback, If Today Was Your Last Day)

Sometimes time becomes a very elastic and flexible concept.

It drags on for what feel like centuries, and it's only a few minutes in real life.

It flies so fast that in a flash two thousand years are burnt and gone, and you're already dead and still haven't figured out what's happened.

Sometimes, space can behave pretty weirdly too, an incredibly high amount of events all but condensing in only a few square meters of space, and then others dilating themselves on an unbelievable long and big distances.

To them, Liam considers, both things have occurred, the time and space dilatation and condensation.

How much has been since last time he has seen Hayden alive?

How much has it been since he's last seen Mason?

He doesn't even know if his best friend is safe, or not.

He hopes so.

Brett better be taking good care of his mouthy, always-talking-never-shutting-up best friend, or else.

Liam doesn't like to think big about himself, but he sure is going to beat the hell out of that douche, true to Derek's praising words of his strength and power, if anything, _anything_ is going to happen to Mason.

Yesterday he saw Hayden.

Two days ago, he saw Mason and Brett and the first Chimera.

Two days ago, he saw Jackson standing on top of a tree, and it turned out the guy knew his pack, and about the Chimera too.

Three days ago was the last time Liam has picked up a stick and played good lacrosse.

He doesn't believe how impossibly fast everything has gone.

He lies down on Scott's bed, in his house.

The pack left the Stilinski's place, where Stiles apparently was up for round two with Derek, and crept away to their alpha's.

Jackson is still very close to Lydia, and generally keeps silent, which, even if Liam doesn't know the guy that much, feels like an unusual occurrence.

The banshee hasn't said much too, but that's more comprehensible. She's still shocked after seeing her former boyfriend and freshly self-declared mate almost die in front of her vivid light green eyes.

Ok, no, that wasn't really not even close to dying, but the girl doesn't know, and she's been super shocked. It makes sense she's still worried and keeps on throwing glances to the boy now and then.

It's totally weird, and in the cute way, how she keeps doing so, but with this not caring attitude that still preserve unaffected the heavy cloud of 'I'm so superior and cool and don't give a shit about you' that she wears.

Liam lies on his side on Scott's bed, his alpha sitting on the armchair at the desk, writing at his phone to Stiles to let the human know that, when they'll be over, if they'll be over any time soon in this century, if Derek won't have consumed him and turned him to dust or just killed him by giving him an orgasm-induced heart-attack, well, _then_ , they should really show up at his place.

Liam is trying so hard to refrain from snickering, but, really.

Stiles.

Stiles and Derek.

 _Derek_ , for fuck's sake!

And, _Stiles_!

Derek is the grumpier man, or creature, that Liam has ever seen.

And he got to bang Braeden, who was pretty hot, and very feminine too, and now, Stiles? How in hell did that happen?

Stiles, who's not that big and intimidating and masculine but still very mannish and, you know, a _guy_ , a guy that was into Lydia and then Malia, a guy whose girlfriend has just been killed and now is busy getting screwed within a inch of his life?

How's that possibly not even _slightly_ wrong?

He frowns, but still keeps from muttering a word.

Jackson and Lydia are downstairs, lying comfortably on a sofa, and Liam can hear them talking, although he's trying to keep the words out. He doesn't want to intrude. He doesn't want to hear them. They need a bit of privacy, he got it, and he's giving them walking upstairs, as if the floor between them is going to be enough for him and Scott not to hear the conversation going on, if they'd want to.

But, well, neither him or Scott feel like intruding.

They've got other... ideas in their minds.

Liam, at least.

Well, he did have, before he started thinking about Malia dead and Stiles getting it over so soon it's creepy. Now, he's not sure anymore he's in the mood for those aforementioned ideas he had. Plus, there's at least one out of two of the people downstairs who can totally understand what's going on upstairs, if he brings those ideas to reality.

Mmm, maybe not.

Scott puts down the phone after saying hello to his mom, and sighs a long puff of air out: -Come on. Say it. I know you've got something to say, I don't need to be a wolf to sense it-

Liam sighs as well.

He doesn't want to complain.

It's not his business what Stiles does.

And he totally should not judge the man.

He hasn't just lost a girlfriend, after all, and Liam does not have the right to judge, since he doesn't know in the least how Stiles' feeling.

But, well, sue him, he does.

He is judging. He is complaining, or at least feels like to.

He pulls a face, and Scott lifts his eyes, guessing with no need for words the topic of Liam's inner mulling: -Is this about Stiles?-

-Well, fuck, man- Liam exhales and rolls on his back, and then again on his side, facing Scott and his deep dark eyes he adores staring at: -I don't get it. His girlfriend dies, and he bangs Derek?-

-He's his mate- Scott defends his friend.

-I'm not saying anything against that. I just wonder if he'd had better... I don't know- and he stops speaking, rolling once again on his back.

Scott waits for a few seconds, sensing Liam's still pondering over something in his head, then he nudges at him with the tip of his foot, reaching out for his beta's strong calf.

And, Jesus, such a stupid, asexual act really should not turn Liam _that_ _much_ on.

Not at all, actually.

He coughs and tries to focus on what he was trying to say.

Even if it's a bad thing to think, and, therefore, worse to say.

Whatever.

Downstairs there are Lydia and Jackson, and he's _so_ set on not getting caught fucking or being manhandled by their alpha with some other member of their pack so close to him. Unlike Stiles.

-What's wrong, Liam?- Scott prompts him, nudging again with his foot, and, dammit, that's not making it easier for the young, starting to sweat beta.

He gulps and spits out the harshest words ever: -I don't believe he's fucking Derek right after less than twenty-four hours his girlfriend was killed-

Oh, ouch. That hurt.

-I mean- he goes on, seeing Scott's face darkening but still needing to say it all, and lift the weight off his chest: -I get it, they're mates. That's wonderful. And, who knows, considering it from a quite cynical perspective, better like this, she's dead and they're happy. But, hell, Scott, the girl's body is barely cold!-

He can see Scott's eyes flinch. Or maybe it's his own conscience, who knows, reprimanding him, because that last one was very crude.

But true.

-I'm a bit... shocked by how quickly Stiles went over Malia, that's all. I'm not saying I wanted him to mourn, and suffer just for us to _see_ that he's missing her, and then moves on with Derek at the slowest pace ever so that her memory is less tainted. I'm not...-

-I get it, Liam- Scott softly interrupts him: -I get it. You're saying it's not about public expectations about what Stiles should've done, but you're wondering what's going on in his head. I must admit I'm a bit... well, shocked, as well- he goes fishing for words and borrows Liam's: -But...- he pauses.

Liam suspects words are difficult, when you have to say something about a topic like this one, and they concern your best friend.

And you're defending but still accusing him of being a cynic, cold-hearted bastard who thinks with his dick and would rather get screwed by Derek's dick than cry a bit and show mourning for your dead ex girlfriend.

Words would fail anybody, wouldn't they?

So Liam waits for Scott to find his words, and just lies on his alpha's bed, ignoring the scent permeating the air, the so delicious and mouth watering scent he loves and adores and needs and _hell_ , that's getting affected, Liam, and you told yourself you wouldn't get affected right fucking now. No screwing with Jackson under the very floor, the man can fucking sense and feel and hear your every moan and- oh, wow, moaning, moaning always works good when Scott's around... _Ah, fuck! No, bad Brain! Bad Brain, do your job, and fucking keep blood to yourself and not to Dick! Otherwise Dick is gonna make us screw (well, get screwed more likely) by Scott, right now, right here, and we, Brain, me and you, we don't want this!_

Luckily for his inner sanity, Scott's found his words, and interrupts his bickering with his two main body functions.

-Liam, you and me, we're werewolves, right?-

-Is this a redo of the time when you told me we were brothers and the bite is a gift?- Liam tries to joke.

Scott flushes a bit and smiles _adorably_ , still embarrassed for that awful attempt to an explanation, but doesn't comment: -You've been a werewolf for not a long time, and yet you've already seen so many people dying, or being severely injured. Definitely, you've seen more than any other sixteen years old boys have-

-Well, what can I say, I'm special like that- he smirks.

-For that, I feel sorry- Scott goes on, ignoring the interruption: -I really do. I didn't want this for you. If I could have... shielded from all this shit, I would have. If I could have kept you safe and far, far away from all this dying and killing and, you know, _this_ ,- and he moves frantically his hand motioning a circle: - I wanted to protect you, I swear. You're the first and only beta I've ever bitten, and-

Liam wonders when this stopped being a defense over Stiles' behavior and became a love declaration. Not that he complains. The heat in his chest gets bigger and bigger, warmer and warmer, and it's engulfing him all.

-And- Scott goes on: - I couldn't. I kept you right in the middle of the storm, safe, and, thank god, alive, but still, you've seen it all. All the bad, and a bit of the good too. I'll never say that being a werewolf didn't come with a heavy side dish of awful stuff a sixteen years old boy should never see-

Liam keeps quite.

-But, you see, when I was bitten, I was more or less your age. And I only had Stiles by my side. I mean, yes, Derek was too, but... It was a bit more difficult to interact between us than it was with you and me. Maybe because he wasn't my alpha. Stiles was the only one who was there for me through it all, and he never let me down. He almost died for me, I lost count of how many times- he sighs: -I've seen so many people dying, and yet, Stiles has seen even more. Starting from his mom when he was a kid, he's always been around death. This all mess about being werewolves started because Stiles and me, well, Stiles mostly, wanted to go look for a body in the woods! This should tell you how... _used_ Stiles is to death-

Liam frowns: -So, you mean to say, he's so used, he's not even affected by people dying anymore?-

-No- Scott is deadly serious now.

Oh, the pun.

-I meant to say, that, maybe, he's clinging to Derek for coping with this situation. Because he's used to death, and he knows how it works even when it's about someone very close to you. Derek might be his... life saver, in this moment-

Liam frowns, and looks at the floor.

-Maybe- he mutters: -Maybe you're right. But it still feels... unbelievably... non human, that he's getting on at it with Derek and Malia's scent was still lingering in the air-

-How do you know it didn't start with Stiles having a crisis? Derek bolted upstairs as something very bad happened. I would have followed him myself, hadn't it been for the... well, afterward they were having-

Liam nods silently.

That's true.

And it is also true that Scott knows his friend well enough to suggest a scenario like that, and it being really how things went.

-This is not gonna save Stiles from a tons of mocking, though- Scott adds, and Liam grins.

-Oh, yeah. I'm _so_ going to tease him for all that noise!-

Scott chuckles: -Yeah, he was being quite loud, wasn't he?-

Liam's eyes grow bigger, Scott standing up from the chair and subtly stretching his arms over his head.

Oh, fuck.

 _No, please, Scott, don't do that, don't do that, Jackson and Lydia downstairs, please man, please don't do this to me..._

 _On the other hand, yes please, yes, do this to me, do me, oh, hell, Brain! Why don't you collaborate today?!_

-I remember someone else being almost as loud as him- Scott teases him, whispering and kneeling on the mattress, right in front of Liam's line of sight, less than an arm-distance behind the two of them.

Liam's salivating.

If he opens his mouth, he's gonna drool all over Scott's bedsheets and comforter.

Scott looks at him, towering over him, and Liam can't but trail his eyes over Scott's toned, hard, well defined body, abs and pecs and nipples and tattoo and dark skin and dark hair and dark eyes that _shit_ looks like burning coal.

He swallows a mouthful of saliva so big he almost chokes on it.

Scott reaches out with an hand and caresses his cheek softly, once, twice, then it goes further and firmly grasps at his hair and forces him to lift his head so that his chin is up and he can't but keep eye-locking staring back.

Oh Jesus, the level this man turns him on...

His alpha.

His handsome, strong, powerful alpha.

His alpha who kinda told Liam everything he could ever dream of hearing when hearing a declaration.

He swallows again, and Scott leaves his eyes just for the time he needs to follows Liam's throat's movement.

 _So. Hot._

But Lydia and Jackson are still downstairs!

His pained expression apparently amuses Scott, who grins, and _oh, Jesus,_ why did you have to make it even sexier on his face? Do some divinity really want me to repeat Stiles' act and be heard moaning like a fucking slut by other people?

 _Well. On a second thought..._

He smirks back.

Not even close to the sexyness of Scott's one, but, who cares.

Scott apparently likes it.

His alpha's eyes go, if possible, even darker, and Liam can feel the burning on his limbs, where they touch his skin. He's just waiting for those eyes to be substituted by strong hands, strong hands which leave an even hotter trail on his body.

 _Please._

 _Please, alpha._

 _Please, my alpha._

And Scott probably hears him, or senses him, or feels him, deep down in his mind body soul somewhere.

The smirks vanish.

Scott drags Liam up, until he's on his knees as well, face to face, Liam's hands tentatively at first and then possessively on Scott's back, chest against chest, and, oh, god, why is this getting better every time they do it?

Scott stares at his mouth for a good bunch of seconds, then looks again in Liam's light blue eyes, and whatever he's looking for, he must find it, because he's kissing him right after. Demanding, full mouth, tongue invading him, claiming him, and Liam's right behind, opening up for him and getting all he can get from his alpha, his saver, his everything, his...

Liam's eyes go huge and he freezes.

His lover.

He stops kissing Scott, and Scott realizes something's going on in his beta's mind. He pulls back and looks and smells and stares at Liam's terrorized face.

He doesn't say anything.

Liam is utterly terrified, and it shows.

It shows so good, that Scott can perfectly understand what's going on in him, what he thought.

He smiles softly, and his face relaxes and lights up, and his mouth is so good when he's doing this expression, like Scott's been made for happy smiles and happiness and...

Love.

Allison must have seen this face often, Liam thinks.

And then he shoves the thought very down in his mind, because, right now, and forever on, Scott is _his_.

This is what that smile is saying, this is what that smile is promising.

His.

His alpha, his lover, his mate.

Scott kisses him again, sweeter this time, and Liam goes with it.

Of course, the cuteness is over in the next thirty seconds, and he ends up on his knees, elbows gone boneless and down long before, chest and face and hands on the bedsheets, Scott's strong hands grasping at his hips while he's furiously pushing in and out inside the beta, Liam's moans poorly muffled by the sheets and pillow he's biting on, Scott's nails attempting to come out any time and tear Liam's skin and Liam's one destroying the sheets.

And yes, he might have managed to make less noise than Stiles.

He might have flashed his eyes open so wide he almost hurt himself when he started coming and felt Scott start coming too, and recognizing the adding stretch of a knot inside him, while Scott was filling him up, the knot that means forever, possession, _mate_.

If only he hadn't started crying right after, so powerful had the orgasm been and so happy he'd felt, well, then everything would've been perfect.

But, he contemplates, while Scott's holding him in his arms and kissing his temple and muttering soft words so endearing, perfect doesn't exist.

Perfect is not his life.

This is.

And, well, sue him for liking him just like this, no need for a single change.


End file.
